Cullen Hall
by Kat097
Summary: To escape the ruins of her failed marriage, American writer Bella Swan takes up lodging in the grounds of a remote English Country House where, unable to escape from the man who haunts her dreams, she must unravel a century old mystery...
1. Chapter 1

**Cullen Hall**

**Chapter One**

The first time that Isabella Swan laid eyes on Cullen Hall, her immediate thought was not one of awe at the grandiose structure, nor at the faint cold tingling that crept up her spine. Her first though was that she was unlikely to get any kind of reception on her cell phone, for which she was grateful.

She followed Mrs Cope towards the front door of the building and was strangely relieved when she did not open it. Bella felt as though the place was staring down at her, the vast windows like empty eyes that bored into her with indifference, a sneer embossed into the ivy around the heavy wooden doors.

"Front door is here, there are several entrances around the place. I'll show you around to the kitchen in a moment, only enter by that door. It makes it easier to keep up the security." Mrs Cope said briskly, "The front door is only opened when the family are here, which they haven't been for almost fifteen years."

"Why not? It's such a beautiful place."

"They keep to the cities; London, New York, Paris. They're somewhat scattered these days. Follow me." Mrs Cope kept up her march turning to the right and walking around a corner. Bella almost had to run, despite the other woman's age. She clearly had not slowed with the passing years and eventually halted outside a much smaller door along the side of the building, beside several large patches of bare earth.

"These are the kitchen gardens. The gardener will keep them in shape, he's in twice a week until mid-March, and then he'll be in every other day. This is the kitchen door, I'll label the key. I can't take you in now, I need to get back to town for the last train, but everything you need is there."

Mrs Cope turned her piercing blue gaze upon Bella, her expression stern.

"There is no need for you to go upstairs unless you suspect someone is in the building that oughtn't to be. If that is the case, merely confirm that someone is here without drawing attention to yourself and call for security. The number is beside the kitchen phone. Don't call the police; the security firm are more than capable."

"OK." Bella didn't have time to say anything further before Mrs Cope had set off again, pacing towards the cars that they had left halfway along the long gravel drive that led to the house.

"I must dash, Miss Swan. As I said, your lodge is less than five minutes drive back down this path and on the left-hand side. You'll have a perfect view of the house from there and it's right beside the lake. Jacob, the gardener, will pop in on Tuesday to see you. Anything else, you have my number. I will visit next month to see how you're getting on."

Bella waited as Mrs Cope unlocked her car and then offered a weak smile.

"Thank you again, Mrs Cope."

"It's perfectly alright. I'm just relieved to fill the position." Mrs Cope said, looking the friendliest she had since their first meeting. Bella's brow quirked in thought.

"If you don't mind my asking, why did the previous lodger leave? Was it sudden?"

If Bella had been a suspicious person, she might have noticed the slight paling of Mrs Cope's cheeks, the flicker of her eyes towards the grey windows and cold exterior of the house and wondered. But she did not. Instead, she accepted Mrs Cope's brief explanation that the previous lodger had suffered from health problems and left to stay with relatives in Australia. And then Mrs Cope climbed into her vehicle and departed, leaving Bella to stand alone in the shadow of Cullen Hall.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello, darlings. Yes, I'm back with a new story – it's a step away from my other works. It'll be shorter chapters and a lot more dramatic. Hopefully you'll enjoy it! **

**This is set in England. I am English. Enjoy my spelling! The current rating is 'T'... this may change, I am as yet undecided.**

**www(dot)polyvore (dot) com/cgi/set ?id=23703475 - I've thrown together a few images for your brain. My Bella in this fic is mentally played by Emmy Rossum. I've never quite pictured Bella the way KStew plays her, so I've gone with Emmy as a model.  
><strong>

**Much love**

**Katie. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The road that led to Cullen Hall reminded Bella of the description of the road to Manderley. A twisting, turning drive led from the road that went to the very small town nearby. Trees overhung the road, very little sunlight able to peak through the leaves and cast brightness onto the gravel. For more than half a mile, the road bent and hair pinned, as though to avoid obstacles that were no longer there, or had maybe never even existed.

Bella drove slowly, still uncertain of where the next curve in the road would appear and took the corners slowly, creeping through the dim light until quite suddenly, the trees fell away and she was dazzled by the sunlight. Twenty feet ahead, she turned right and parked beside the lodge that she now called home, a charming cottage of grey stone. She turned off the engine and picked up the two bags of groceries, sliding out of the second-hand Chevy that she had purchased on the spur of the moment a few months previously.

Unlocking the door, she walked down the short hallway into the pretty kitchen that had been remodelled only a few years ago, but looked authentically aged to stay in keeping with the atmosphere of the lodge. Oak cupboards, flagstone floors and a gorgeous old carved table that was probably as old as the house itself all added to the character that she had fallen in love with. Bella deposited her shopping bags onto the table and stretched, pushing her hands out in front of her as her spine cracked.

Something hard and warm bumped into the back of her legs and Bella smiled, looking down at the excitable, wriggling dog that was staring up at her with large, happy eyes, short ears pricked so that the fur stood around his face like a halo. He let out a soft whimper and nuzzled his nose under her hand so that she stroked the soft fur of his head.

"Hey boy. You want to go out?" Bella cooed and he jumped excitedly, rushing to the back door. She struggled for a moment with the stiff key, massaging her fingers together as she finally swung the door open and he darted outside, disappearing into the bushes, running swiftly from tree to tree.

Bella smiled, watching as Sam paused by a particularly interesting smelling blade of grass and christened it. Sam was a saluki and she had adopted him two years previously. He had been her best friend and constant companion in those two years and, sadly, the thing that had made her get up in the mornings.

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><p>Isabella Swan had met James Brooks seven years ago in a bar in Seattle. He was tall and blonde and she had been swayed by his English accent that cried of rolling hills and cobbled streets and picturesque towns. He spoke softly murmuring in her ear and was the gentleman from books of Austen and Bronte that she had dreamed of meeting.<p>

After a year of dating, he asked her to move to England with him. She immediately put in a transfer from the University of Washington to Canterbury Christ Church University and continued her studies of Literature whilst James got started in his career as a design architect in central London. Her dream grew as she studied in the beautiful ancient city of Canterbury, spending her weekends wandering around London arm in arm with James and living a pristine, white, modern apartment.

The day after she graduated (with the highest level degree), James asked her to marry him. She accepted immediately and they were married less than six months later. Bella's parents flew out, her mother bringing her new husband, Phil, with her. It was a beautiful, simple ceremony and it seemed that Bella had found that elusive happily ever after.

And then came after ever after.

James' career took off. He was promoted twice in two years and they were both delighted with it, celebrating happily and amorously. Obviously it meant that James had to spend more time in the office and was sent away on business trips. Bella kept house and began messing around with writing. Before she knew it, she had half a novel written and James was asking why she hadn't applied to do her Masters at university.

Six months after that, she had a completed novel (a nonsensical, fluffy romance novel), an agent and a book deal. James had a sour expression.

The disintegration began slowly and was barely noticeable at first. A missed dinner on either side, a weekend trip away where Bella didn't notice that he was gone, a day trip to Oxford when James didn't realise she was away until dinner wasn't on the table.

A missed period.

James was pleased, in a strange, smug way and Bella was astonished at how the amount of love she had for James was dwarfed by the intensity for the spot in her lower stomach, the tiny flutter of life that blossomed into being, that distorted her body into beauty and shape. She adored every minute of it (even the morning sickness that left her slumped on the bathroom floor for hours every day in her first trimester) and spent days carefully decorating the spare bedroom of their apartment with delicate shades of yellow and green, persuading James to help her construct a cot and a pram and reading as many books on pregnancy and newborns that she could find.

James was doting and proud, showing her off to his colleagues and friends. He had been just as eager for the arrival of their baby as she had been and it was hand-in-hand, they went for a scan at 25 weeks, eager to see their little being move, possibly waving a tiny hand in readiness to meet it's parents in just a few short weeks.

The baby did not wave and there was no fuzzy heartbeat. James and Bella had stared at the screen, waiting for the technician to adjust the equipment and show them their baby properly.

Instead she had turned off the screen, wiped Bella's stomach clean and apologised. Bella did not understand the scientific reasons and eventually the doctor used the hideous phrase – "It was just one of those things."

They operated and removed the… Bella did not like to call it a baby. It had been her baby and now it was gone, wiped away as though it had never existed.

Darkness overtook her world and she went home, climbed into bed and cried and screamed for her missing flutter. James did not join her, sleeping on the sofa instead.

Bella did not write. She could not find the words. Instead she spent her days walking around the parks in London, trying to remember what her life had been like before, what meaning it had held.

She was lost for answers.

It was when the Central Line Tube had broken down and she was forced to redirect via Victoria Station that she saw an advertisement for Battersea Dogs home. Something had pulled at her until she found herself outside that building and was invited by a smiling receptionist to wander the kennels.

It had been there that she'd seen Sam. Huge brown eyes had stared into hers and when she'd stepped into his kennel run, he'd approached tentatively before leaning heavily against her legs, head nuzzled under one hand. Bella had dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face into the warm, soft black fur of his shoulder. He had wagged his tail happily for a moment before lying down beside her, snuggling closely.

She had taken him home two days later. James had given the creature that had usurped his wife's affection a cold look and told Bella that she was responsible for his mess.

The disintegration increased at a speed that was impossible to ignore. James stopped coming home for dinner, eventually crawling into bed around midnight. Bella pretended to be sleeping to avoid talking to him, feigned oblivion to his vague attempts at intimacy. Eventually he gave up attempting and not long afterwards, he started crawling into bed with the faint hints of alcohol and perfume coating his skin.

Bella was done by that point. She went at lunchtime to James' building and took the elevator to his floor. She didn't knock before going into his office and that was how she found him with his secretary, a glamorous redhead by the name of Victoria, bent over the desk. She averted her eyes as they noticed her and scrambled to gather their clothing. She did not comment but placed the divorce papers on James' desk, murmured that she would collect her things when she had a definite new address and left him bewildered and appalled, a smudge of lipstick still colouring the corner of his mouth.

Bella never did wear lipstick.

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><p>She couldn't feel angry at James. It seemed that any feelings she had had for him had vanished after the loss of their baby. He had been angry about this when she admitted it while collecting the last few things that she was moving to the tiny flat near Covent Garden, but his anger meant nothing anymore. Bella had promised herself that she would have nothing more to do with him. He blamed her, said that she had driven him to Victoria, that she was frigid and had never loved him the way that she should have, that she loved Sam more than she loved him. Bella ignored his shouts, his temper tantrum, the shattering of glass as he threw a half empty glass of whiskey against the wall. She ignored Victoria as they passed in the hall, Bella heading for the elevator, Victoria for the apartment. The redhead gave her a sneering look. Bella offered a faint smile and a silent wish that they be happy together. She didn't care anymore. And so ended six years of a relationship that had taught her not to care.<p>

Bella went to the memorial garden every week and laid a bouquet of flowers on the tiny slab of rock that was engraved 'Baby Swan-Brooks'. James never visited the memorial, so never had cause to complain about the name placement.

She tried to write again. Her agent, Angela, begged/threatened/cried for her to write again, whilst her last and first novel was still in the mind of the public. Bella sat in her cramped flat, an empty Word document open, gloating and teasing as it showed its plain white pages.

She went to a stationary shop and bought the prettiest, most extravagant notebooks that she could find and sat in St James' Park, Sam loyally sat by her side until a squirrel darted past and he disappeared into the distance until he lost interest and wandered back to collapse panting at her feet. Bella scribbled fragmented sentences, random words, doodled in the margins of her notebook and sighed heavily as the characters and stories escaped her.

One day in the early winter, when it was sunny but cold and Bella was curled up on the bench in a snug coat and a woolly hat, Sam wearing his fleecy winter coat over his fur, a couple walked past, arm in arm, laughing at nothing at all. Bella watched them and was mildly alarmed at the lack of envy that she felt for them. She had always longed for that love, it had been something that she was certain of since her teen years.

How could she have become so disillusioned by twenty five?

Her pen began to scribble about a girl who wanted to fall in love, who searched for it always and wondered why it never came to her. The girl made mistakes and met the wrong men and suffered heartache and misery. The public loved it and it flew off the shelves. Angela was once again appeased and Bella searched for a way to hide from the publicity. It was that search that led her to the tiny advert in the corner of a newspaper that was requesting a lodger to live on a property in southeast England in order to keep an eye on a large, privately owned house.

Bella had applied and been contacted by Mrs Cope within three days. Mrs Cope had accepted her reasoning that she wanted privacy in which to work and no interest in bringing friends or family to the Cullen property. By the end of the week, Bella was moving her things into the lodge.

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><p>Sam wandered back into the kitchen as Bella finished unpacking the groceries and sniffed about the floor in a hopeful way. Bella rolled her eyes and offered him a rawhide chew which he scampered away with into the sitting room, his claws <em>tap-tapping<em> against the hardwood floors before lying down in front of the fireplace, where he chewed the treat noisily. Bella left the back door open. It was cold outside, but the sun was shining onto the bare trees, giving hope if not a sign of springtime. Bella leant against the doorframe, wrapping her fingers around a mug of hot tea. Her breath formed soft, brief clouds of white air as she stared out down the short garden, with a low fence before meeting the edge of the lake. The water was bright, dazzling her with the reflection of the sun and rippling with the fish that swam just below the surface and the birds that flew down to land on the soft waves.

The scene exuded peace and Bella closed her eyes, inhaling the clean sweet air. This was a good place – this was a place for calm and happiness and recovery from heart wrenching pain.

Bella opened her eyes and they fell upon the house that lay across the water. Any comfort from the scene was sucked from Bella, leaving her lungs drowning in icy cold air. It was imposing and scowling; she frowned in its direction, sipping her tea defiantly before turning away with the vague idea of finishing a chapter.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello, my lovelies. So, that's Bella's story thus far. I promise that in chapters to come, there will be actual *gasp* dialogue! But as Bella is currently alone with a dog, any conversation would be dramatically one sided… **

**Sam is a saluki, the most beautiful, elegant, adorable dogs ever and totally not influenced by the fact that I also own one. Saluki's traditionally have long ears, but as mine has short ears, so does Sam. There is a picture of my dog in my profile and if you view the stranger laser eyes that appear when I take photos of him, he's actually rather gorgeous.**

**www(d0t)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set ?id=23738972 **

**More images to feast your eyes on – the cottage/lodge, James and Victoria, Sam, Canterbury (cos that's where I went to university, lol) and a few other bits and pieces. **

**Thank you for reading – if you have the time, please do leave a review and let me know what you think.**

**Much love**

**Katie.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Bella was due to meet the gardener, Jacob on Tuesday. On Monday night, she went to bed in a disgruntled mood. For four days, she had been living in a bubble state of being, completely and wonderfully alone in the world. Now this man would be invading her world and she would be forced to accept that other people knew of this place, her little piece of idyllic peace.

She woke on Tuesday morning when Sam leapt onto the bed, whimpering loudly as he rubbed his head against her shoulder pleadingly.

"_Sam…_" She moaned, rolling over away from him. Sam did not give in, his large paws scratching at the duvet. With another large whimper, he crawled over her, his bony legs digging into her. Bella let out a groaning giggle as he nuzzled her affectionately.

"OK, OK… I'm getting up. Demanding dog." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around him as she sat up. Sam jumped off the bed and launched himself at the door, tail wagging enthusiastically as Bella pulled on some shorts, a t-shirt and running shoes. After grabbing some small plastic bags (in case Sam felt the urge), she hooked her door key onto her shorts and set off at a slow jog along the edge of the lake, Sam running ahead, stopping to examine trees or bushes and then catching up before she got out of his sight.

The blood pumped around her body and Bella felt a grin cross her face as her feet hit the ground again and again. She had taken up running after the loss of her baby, partly as a way to get back into health and partly to out of the apartment whilst James was getting ready for work. It was a situation that had suited both of them.

It was a twenty minute run around to the far side of the lake. The other half was covered by trees and would have been hard to access, even with the crude path that led down to the road that accessed the grounds. Bella stopped at the halfway point and bent to stretch her legs and catch her breath. Sam panted heavily beside her and then turned, wandering back in the direction that they'd come. Bella didn't worry; he would go back to the house in his own time after he'd finished digging curiously at a spot by the edge of the lake and she started running again. However, she'd made it only a few feet when her foot caught and she stumbled onto the path, throwing out her hands to break her fall. With a gasp of pain, she winced as her hands were scratched open, the tiny stones embedding in her palms and knees.

Bella grunted, brushing her hands and knees as tiny rivers of blood trickled down her legs. They would scab soon enough, but she wanted to disinfect them back at the house. She sighed and took a few tentative running steps but stopped as pain stung through her skin. Sighing again in frustration she resigned herself to walking back, glancing briefly back behind her to see what had made her fall. A small stone was protruding from the gravel but to the left of it, in the grass, was something else, coated in dirt where Sam had kicked it whilst digging.

Bella bent, not wanting to kneel in the fresh dirt as Sam sniffed his way over to her. Picking up the curious dirt clod, she scraped away until she uncovered a small silver locket, the chain long gone. Forcing herself to be patient, she whistled to Sam and they set off back towards the house.

At least, Bella did. Sam stopped and his ears pricked up, his dark eyes turning back towards the woods that separated the far end of the lake from the house. A low growl sounded from him and then, as though something had startled him, he whimpered and ran after Bella, his ears pinned back against his head in fear.

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><p>Bella was drinking her morning tea and spreading raspberry jam over a piece of toast from the town bakery when the doorbell rang. Bella bit into her toast, pushing the plate to the middle of the table so that Sam couldn't reach the other slice, before going to the front door. Pulling it open, she came face to face with possibly the tallest man she'd ever met. In fact, it was less face to face and more face to chest and Bella looked up in astonishment, her toast hanging limply from one hand.<p>

"Hi, you must be Isabella." He said with a broad smile. Smiling suited his face, which had warm dark eyes and high cheekbones with russet skin pulled over them. Shaggy black hair hung over his face and Bella was sharply reminded of the Native American tribes, a strange sight amongst the rolling green hills of Kent.

"Bella, please. You're Jacob?"

"That I am."

"Come on in." She offered, standing to the side so that he could duck under the doorway. He was easily on his way to seven feet in height, wearing loose holey jeans and a black vest shirt.

They went through to the kitchen and Bella offered tea, which Jacob accepted warmly.

"With an accent like that, you're not a local." He commented and she smiled briefly.

"Washington State originally, although I grew up in Arizona. You?"

"Strangely enough, I'm descended from a tribe in Washington." Jacob grinned, "My great grandmother married an Englishman and moved over here, bringing my grandfather with her. I've been back a couple of times to visit, but I've lived in England my whole life."

Bella set out a fresh pot of tea whilst he was talking and handed Jacob a cup, inviting him to pour.

"Do you take sugar?"

"No, cheers." He added a few drops of milk to his brew and sipped it appreciatively.

"So, what do you do exactly?" Bella asked, hoping to avoid any further questions about herself.

"I keep the gardens tidy."

"Not an easy job for one person." She commented lightly and he chuckled.

"No, but it keeps me busy. There are four sections to the gardens; the main lawn, the rose garden, the maze garden and the kitchen gardens. The lawn only needs mowing once a fortnight and the rose gardens won't be in season for another couple of months."

"There's a maze?" Bella asked in astonishment – she hadn't been aware of that. Jacob nodded.

"A hedge maze. That needs trimming every few weeks to keep the hedges thick. It's been in the grounds since the house was built, back in the early 1700's. I'll take you up there and show you some time."

"That sounds good." Bella replied, watching as he drank deeply from the cup, not bothered by the temperature.

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><p>They chatted a little more, discussing the care of the gardens and the house. Jacob was warm and quick-witted, his smile brightening the room. Bella found herself laughing at his sharp comments and after another pot of tea, she walked him to the back door, pausing as the Cullen house appeared in their line of sight.<p>

"It's quite a sight, isn't it?" Jacob said, staring at the imposing building. Bella found that she'd wrapped her arms around herself, chilled by the sight of it.

"It sure is… it's a little…" She struggled for the word, "Arctic."

"Do you think so? I think it's gorgeous." He smiled down at her, "You'll learn to love it, Bella."

After he had gone, Bella watched the house as clouds smothered the sun. The deep sense of unease had not left her and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply, having completely forgotten about the silver locket that was tossed carelessly onto her bedside table.

"_You must never leave me." _

He stood over the bed and Bella stared up at him, strangely unalarmed by this man in her bedroom.

He did not move and Bella's thoughts were mildly curious at what had brought on such a strange dream without cause, but they were interrupted by his abrupt movement, his head darting in alarm to look at the window before turning back to her again.

His dark eyes stared into hers with strange longing and she didn't dare blink as his mouth moved again, the words echoing in her head.

"_They cannot part us, Marie._ _We must not be parted."_

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><p><strong>AN: Hello my lovelies. Another quick update, they probably won't all be this fast but I got quite a lot written yesterday for future chapters!**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=36022198 – more visual aids. I haven't used Taylor Lautner for Jacob, as he looks far too young. Instead I spent a good twenty minutes perusing the other wolves to find one that suited the image in my head. Yes, for you all, I spent twenty minutes looking at gorgeous shirtless men. The trials of an author, eh? **

**Thank you for the reviews, favourites and alerts! They are all much appreciated! And feel free to come and follow me on twitter. I've gotten quite vocal lately! I'm Kat097 on there, or the link is at the top of my profile.  
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**Much love**

**Katie. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

When Bella let Sam out the next morning, she noticed two things. The first that was both doors to her house were locked. No one and nothing had been in or out all night, which led her to believe even more firmly that the beautiful man had been nothing more than a dream. After all, which was more believable? That a man who the face of a god had crept into her bedroom only to mistake her for someone else or that she had dreamed it?

The second thing that she noticed was that a single daffodil was lying on the back doorstep. Sam sniffed it briefly before his ears flattened against his head and he scurried away, with nothing but an unhappy backwards glance at the door.

Bella bent to pick up the daffodil curiously. The first bulbs were just starting to show their pale green shoots in the earth. She had seen some growing on the far edge of the look, near the woods, yet here was a fully bloomed specimen, buttery yellow with a slender green stalk. She glanced towards Sam, who was scampering around the garden happily, before turning back into the kitchen and putting the flower in a glass of clean water.

After breakfast, she sat at her laptop and stared at the last paragraph that she had written, urging the words to come. Her third novel, about a man who had lost everything in his life without realising it, was only ten chapters so far, but she found her leading man to be lacking a certain something. As Angela insisted on telling her, people wanted to read about characters with redeeming qualities – Bella's current hero had none.

She glanced out of the kitchen window, her eyes drawn to flower on the windowsill. The light caught the petals, giving them a pretty glow and she found herself smiling slightly.

She couldn't remember the last time she'd been given flowers. How had this one ended up on her doorstep? Blown there? Placed there? And if so, by who?

Bella caught herself and inwardly sighed at her own silliness. Who on earth would be giving her flowers? She turned back to the computer screen, her mind on the story once again.

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><p>Countless cups of tea later, Bella was close to throwing the laptop into the lake. Frustration filed her limbs and she shut the computer screen angrily, making Sam jump as he looked up from his spot on the rug. Bella looked at him irritably and he lowered his head, brown eyes fixed on her.<p>

"This story has no ending." She told him sternly and he clambered to his feet, stretching in a leisurely fashion before walking over to her, nuzzling his cold wet nose against the palm of her hand. She smiled, rubbing her hand over his soft head before he wandered towards the back door.

Bella stood and followed, letting him outside, her story nagging at the corners of her mind. Her character had lost his family, his fortune, his career through his own selfishness and convention dictated that he now work hard and become a better man in order to regain what he had lost, but the thought turned her stomach. What believable occurrence could take place to persuade the reader that he had genuinely changed?

Why should they accept that people changed for the better so often? They didn't – not in real life. People didn't have revelations that made them change their whole world views as often as fiction would have the reader believe.

Bella leaned against the doorframe as Sam explored the garden, pondering this thought. Maybe she wouldn't hold with convention. Maybe this character would fade away into obscurity, exactly as he should in real life. Angela would hate it, but that was life.

This was life.

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><p>There was a spring storm that night, that you could have seen coming. The sky had been grey with a strange yellow tint and the air had been unpleasantly muggy. Bella lay curled in her cosy bed, Sam across her legs as she read peacefully. The wind howling around the cottage didn't disturb her. In fact she felt secure, warm in the safety of the cottage. A flash of light and the ominous rumble that followed made Sam sit up nervously. Bella petted him but he scrambled off the bed anxiously. She let him go – the best thing during a thunderstorm, she'd discovered, was to let him take himself away. He'd hide away in a dark corner, somewhere where he felt secure. In the last storm that they'd had in London, she'd gone after him and found him pushing his way into the walk-in wardrobe, where he lay on her shoes for the rest of the night with no intention of moving.<p>

Sleepiness was creeping over her and she put down the book, her eyes beginning to droop as she turned off the bedside lamp. She pulled the covers up to her neck, snuggling into the warm blankets, her eyes opening briefly as there was another flash of lightning before she closed them again.

Downstairs, Sam's ears pricked up and he stared wild-eyed in the direction of the staircase from his hiding place beneath the sofa. Cautiously he ventured out from his spot, then flattened his ears back against his head, teeth bared and a growl rumbling from deep in his chest.

Upstairs, Bella's bedroom swung closed.

Bella felt fingers brushing against her cheek and opened her eyes, drawn back from the edge of sleep or maybe tottering over into a dream. The soft patter of rain against the windows provided a white noise as she focussed on what had caught her attention.

The beautiful man was kneeling beside the bed, his smile so lovely that she found herself reaching out to touch him. He took her fingers in his and she shivered at the coolness of them.

"_I am yours, Marie." _He said softly and Bella frowned slightly. _"They won't part us. We'll find a way."_

Bella wanted to speak but he was leaning towards her, his dark hair and eyes so close to hers. His breath was cool against her cheek and his fingers twined into her hair, drawing her close, the tip of his nose tracing down hers. She couldn't think, couldn't resist, as helpless as a blade of grass against the storm that raged on outside.

There was a sharp bark and Bella twisted her head towards the door, Sam's claws scrabbling at the wood. The man drew his hand back, looking hurt, a hint of anger in his dark eyes.

"_Believe in me, Marie. Please believe in me. I'll save us." _His words were strong, full of emotion as he pleaded with her.

There was a startling flash of lightning and Bella sat bolt upright. Sam was still scrabbling at the door, his yelps and whimpers clearer now. A low rumble of thunder echoed around the room and Bella turned back to the man.

He wasn't there.

Bella's fingers tightened around the blankets as her eyes searched the room. She was completely alone. Her heart began to pound uncomfortably as her eyes darted around, searching for an explanation. Another bark made her start and she scrambled out of the bed, falling towards the door. Sam burst in, growling as he ran to the bed, looking around.

"Sam." Bella whispered and he turned, half stepping towards her before something caught his attention.

He bounced towards the window, front paws on the ledge. Bella walked up behind him, taking hold of his collar and tugging him.

"Down, Sam!" She said firmly but he ignored her, his ears pricked as he stared out of the window.

Towards Cullen Hall.

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><p><strong>AN: Hello new readers! Lovely to see you all! Thank you so much for the reviews, they really make my day. **

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set ?id=36067194 – Your latest visual treat. Not much in this one unfortunately but I hope you enjoy it all the same. **

**Daffodil - indicative of _rebirth, new beginnings and eternal life_.  
><strong>

**Allow me to reassure you now – Jacob is not going to be a romantic threat in this story, at all. The story is currently planned out at 20 chapters; the length will probably increase later on, but nothing like my other stories. **

**Come follow me on twitter!**

**Much love**

**Katie.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

It was a dream.

It was a _dream_.

It had to have been, and that was what Bella told herself at breakfast. She stirred strawberry jam into her instant porridge, her mind on the face of the beautiful man. She gave an impatient huff, the rational part of her brain telling her to stop being so silly.

Putting a spoonful of the hot cereal into her mouth, she picked up the bowl, walking to the back door, where Sam was lying on the doorstep, sleeping in the warm early sun. He looked up hopefully at her food and then put his head down with a sigh when he realised that none was forthcoming, ears twitching slightly as a bumblebee floated past his head to the fragrant lavender that was in a pot by the door.

Chewing another mouthful, Bella watched the sun glint off of the windows of the imposing building. Sam didn't seem upset at all now, dozing happily. But last night, he had been scared of something, something had spooked him. What had he been looking at out of the window? Bella hadn't seen anything, just the dark grass, the lake a little way off and the house. Nothing out of the ordinary – out of the two of them, she rather felt that _she_ should be the one getting panicked! Maybe it was just the storm getting to him.

Bella scrubbed her bowl clean and looked around as there was a knock at the open back door. Jacob smiled from the doorway, Sam wagging happily at him.

"Good morning." He greeted her and she smiled in return.

"Morning, Jacob."

"Survived the storm then?"

"Oh, just about. Sam wasn't too happy about it." Bella glanced at Sam, who was nuzzling at Jacob's hand for attention. Jacob's large fingers stroked his head gently and Bella smiled.

"You're going up to the gardens?" She asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, I was wondering if you'd like to come up and see the gardens. If you're not busy that is." He glanced at the kitchen table, where the laptop and notebook were sitting. Bella shook her head.

"Nothing urgent. I'd like to see the gardens." She shut the door behind her, following him out to a small white van. He brushed the passenger seat free of papers, a notebook and a McDonald's takeaway bag and she sat down, glancing over her shoulder at the gardening equipment.

* * *

><p>"This is the main lawn. It doesn't need a huge amount of maintenance. Weeding and mowing once a fortnight. Probably more if the family ever came here, but with no one to see it…" Jacob shrugged. Bella watched the expanse of luxurious green pass by the window, trying to envision what it might have been like once, glamorous men and women in period clothes, ladies taking afternoon tea, playing croquet.<p>

The kitchen gardens were lovely, smelling of herbs and lavender. There were more bees here, floating delicately from flower to flower. Bella walked with Jacob along the small stoned paths as he pointed out each of the plants.

"Tarragon, Rosemary, Basil, Mint… I mean, just a couple of hundred years ago, these gardens were used in actual cooking. Now they're just kept tidy and left to their own devices."

"It's kind of a shame." Bella mused, brushing her fingers through the rosemary and inhaling the delicious scent that made her think of roasted chicken or buttered potatoes, "I almost wish I could travel back and see them in all their glory."

"I bet their gardeners had a harder time of it than I do." Jacob grinned and she smiled, following him around the edge of the house.

They walked past the hedge maze, the entrance looming as a dark mouth in the green wall. Jacob paused at the entrance and looked back at her over his shoulder.

"Did you want to go in? I've got to get started but feel free to wander in."

"No, it's fine. I'll try it another day." Bella looked in through the entrance, "How big is it?"

"Around sixty acres – it's basically a replica of the maze at Hampton Court Palace. Not hugely difficult, but you could waste an hour in there if you weren't in a hurry. Want to see the rose garden?"

She nodded and followed him around the edge of the maze and past the front of the house. For some unknown reason, she averted her eyes, choosing to look over the lawn instead of at the stone and glass of the house.

If Bella though that she liked the kitchen gardens, she _loved_ the rose garden. Stunning blooms were starting to emerge, but most were still contained in tight green buds, shaking softly in the gentle breeze. Their faint perfume reached Bella as she walked through the beds, admiring the many colours of the earliest flowers, their petals peeking shyly through green leaves.

"It looks better in the summer." Jacob said, bending to pull a stray weed, "When they're all in bloom."

"I can imagine." Bella agreed, walking slowly back towards him, "Are you working in here today?"

"Yeah. Are you OK getting back to the cottage?"

"It's only a few minutes, it's warmer out than I first thought." She smiled at him, "Thanks for showing me this."

"No problem, Bella. You can come up and see them anytime. There's no one here to mind."

As he started working, Bella took herself back to the front of the house. The sun was unseasonably warm for early spring and she kept walking over the crunching gravel, back towards the herb garden, thinking that she might take a few leaves back to the cottage for her own cooking. As she passed the large wooden front doors, a cool breeze blew over her and she stopped, shivering briefly. The sun disappeared behind a pale cloud and the grounds darkened, the windows dulling.

Bella hurried around the corner to the kitchen gardens, wrapping her arms around herself, as though clinging to the warmth that had been left by the sun. The herb beds were in shadow now and she knelt beside one, smelling the gentle scent and plucking a couple of leaves. Another breeze stirred her hair and tossed it in the direction of the kitchen door. Bella turned her head and her breath caught in her throat.

The kitchen door was open.

Only by a crack, but the door was definitely ajar and Bella racked her brain to try and remember if Jacob had opened it whilst he had been showing her the garden. A sprig of thyme fell from her fingers as she straightened, staring at the door.

The gravel crackled beneath her feet as she walked slowly to the door, her heart pounding for unknown reasons. Her shadow appeared faintly against the door and she stopped abruptly. The chill in her spine near paralysed her as sudden, inexplicable fear tightened around her throat.

There was a second shadow on the door.

Someone was stood behind her. She could feel it, feel their presence, their breath against her cheek though she dared not turn her head to see them.

There was a sudden gust of wind. The kitchen door slammed shut and Bella let out a shrieking gasp, turning with her hands up near her face.

Nobody was there but.

But a single flower, an aster, was lying at her feet.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello my lovelies. I'm so glad you're enjoying this! I'm having a whale of a time writing it, let me tell you. I would love to answer some of the questions that you have in your reviews, but can't because it would spoil the plot! **

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set ?id=36067674 - your illustration! The maze pictured isn't the one at Hampton Court Palace, so if you want to see that one just have a google. **

**Aster - symbolises **_**patience**_**.**

**Thank you for the reviews, they're lovely and really make my day! Feel free to leave another! Also hello to my new twitterers, lovely to see you!  
><strong>

**Much love**

**Katie**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

His fingers were cool and gentle and she reached up into them as he slid them around her neck, gently pulling her to a sitting position. Bella was aware of his hands sliding across her skin, goose bumps appearing in their wake as he bowed his head, his forehead brushing against hers.

"_I've found a way, Marie."_ He murmured, his breath warm against her skin, "_I'll take us away from here, my love."_

Bella frowned slightly at the name…

"Marie?" She whispered and he smiled, the tip of his nose brushing hers as he brought his hands up to cup her face.

"_My darling, in just a few days… we'll be together forever. I promise you that."_

His lips met hers, cool and sweet and Bella gasped into them. The dream was too much now, too overpowering, the scent of him like wildflowers, like the daffodil and the lilac aster that now shared the vase in the kitchen. His hands were powerful and coaxing, laying her back and tracing down her arms as he settled his weight over her.

Bella shivered and tried to break the kiss but he was insistent, one hand tangled in her hair and bringing her face to his with passion and sweetness that overwhelmed her senses until she succumbed. She found herself running her hands over his broad back as he moved against her, thrilling her, bringing her to a trembling state as she found herself searching desperately for friction. He moaned at the contact, his mouth moving to her jaw, leaving open mouthed, damp kisses against her neck, up to her ear and he breathed her name…

"_Marie…"_

"No!"

Bella's eyes snapped open and she sat up again, her arm stretched to push him away but nobody was there.

She was alone, her heart hammering in her chest.

There was sweat on her face and she wiped it away, pushing her hair out of her face as she let out a shuddering breath, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

What. The. Hell?

Bella had had realistic dreams before. But that… that was on a whole different level. Her lips were swollen, she ached between her legs, could feel the scrape of his stubbled jaw against her neck…

She stood up abruptly, intending to get a glass of water. Sam perked up as she went downstairs and followed, tail wagging hopefully. Bella pulled a glass from the cupboard and went to the sink, where her eyes were drawn to two things.

The first was the flowers that were sitting on the windowsill, the yellow daffodil pale against the overpowering colour of the aster. They gave a delicate fragrance and it almost overwhelmed her but for the second thing that caught her eye.

There was a light on in Cullen Hall.

Bella squinted out of the window, but she wasn't seeing things. A single window, in the eastern wing of Cullen Hall was illuminated, looking out over the hedge maze, across the lake.

* * *

><p>Bella pulled on her running shoes, Sam dancing hopefully around her. She pocketed the key to the cottage and her mobile phone, the number for the security firm programmed into it. She flicked on a torch and followed the beam towards the lake.<p>

The light was still there as she walked the edge of the lake and across the side lawn that was behind the maze. There were no sounds other than her footsteps and the occasional call of an owl as it hunted in the woods nearby. Sam wandered nearby, delighted at this unexpected walk in the dead of night.

Dread was building in her chest as she approached the building, crisp grass giving way to crunching gravel. Bella edged past the hedge of the maze, eyes fixed on the window when she suddenly realised that she was alone.

"Sam?" She whispered, peering over her shoulder and flashing the torch towards the lawn, almost fifty feet behind her.

Sam was stood nervously at the edge of the gravel, ears pricked as he looked at her. Bella bent slightly, clicking her fingers.

"Sam, c'mon boy." He whimpered and stepped back a little, his tail tucked firmly between his legs as he watched her.

Bella sighed and looking back towards the house. The light was still on and she kept walking, passing by the dark mouth that was the entrance to the maze, her eyes fixed on the window as her heart resumed its hammering, leaving her slightly breathless. Everything had gone silent and she felt as though everything in the grounds of Cullen Hall was holding its breath, waiting and watching.

Somebody appeared in the window and she almost screamed, it was so sudden. Her eyes strained to adjust to the backlit figure and the torch slipped from her trembling grasp, its light extinguished as it hit the ground.

It was him. His hard, narrow jaw and piercing eyes, staring down at her, unblinking, unwavering.

Bella's hand flew to her mouth as she stepped back trembling, tears springing to her eyes as fright stiffened her.

He continued to gaze at her, unmoving and Bella stood frozen to the spot, dreading what was coming, terrified of what would happen if he moved, if he came towards her.

Sam barked loudly behind her, a sharp sound in the stillness of the night and Bella gasped so loudly that it sounded like a cry, falling to her knees as she scrambled around desperately for the torch. It took her two attempts to turn it on again, her hands were shaking so badly.

She looked up at the window and let out another whimper as she saw that the light had gone out.

There was a sound to her left and she swung the torch around to see Sam standing tentatively nearby, head ducked low as he edged towards her. Bella stood quickly, running her shaking hand over his back as she turned back towards the lawn, setting off at a run, her nerves on edge as she fled from the house.

By the time she'd gotten back to the cottage, her breathing was laboured and she was sweating again, Sam panting at her heels, not having left her side since the light in the window had vanished. She fumbled with the key, unlocking the door and slammed it shut behind her, taking the stairs two at a time as she rushed back to her bedroom, only to jolt to a stop, a cry trapped in her throat.

A bright red tulip was lying on her pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ooh, spooky! At least, I hope it was. Tell you what, I've written ahead (currently on chapter 12) and it's killing me not being able to talk about it yet! This ghost chappy really is starting to invade poor Bella's personal space though, isn't he?**

**As you can see, I have gone and adjusted the rating if this story to an 'm'. Just in case. **

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set? id=36331479 – your illustration for the chapter! **

**Tulip - signifies **_**a declaration of love. (**_**As jenjiveg pointed out, might be handy for Bella to start looking this up, eh? All in good time, darlings!)**

**Thank you for the reviews! I **_**live**_** for them. And come seek me on twitter and join me in some inane British rambling!**

**Much love**

**Katie**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Bella dared not enter her bedroom again that night, instead choosing to curl up on the sofa, an arrangement that Sam was more than happy with, as he joined her on the blanket, snoozing easily. She lay under the blanket, stroking the warm fur of his back, feeling the ridges of his spine beneath her fingers as she tried to quell the panic that bubbled in her chest. Every time she closed her eyes she saw that dark, unrelenting gaze piercing her soul.

Sam twitched in his sleep, chasing some unsuspecting dream rodent.

Bella's own rest was broken and wracked with dreams of a beautiful man with soft hands and lit windows and dark mazes.

* * *

><p>Bella rose just after dawn, no better rested than she had been when she'd woken after the… dream? Christ, what was she even supposed to call it? It was no dream and she knew that. That man had been in her room, on her bed.<p>

But he had also been in Cullen Hall.

Bella sighed, sipping her tea without tasting it. Her stomach turned at the idea of food, it was too early and she'd had too little sleep. Sam had no such qualms, staring pointedly at the cupboard where his food was kept and she poured him a bowl of dry food before sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the three flowers that now stood in the vase. The bright tulip seemed almost alarmingly bright with its vulgar scarlet petals against the paler tones of the aster and daffodil.

Yet further proof that it had not been a dream.

In a ridiculously unsuccessful attempt to push the affair from her mind, Bella situated herself at the kitchen table, her back to both the flowers and Cullen Hall as she opened her novel again.

* * *

><p>For a couple of hours she read through what was already written, tweaking and fiddling with sentence structure in an attempt to avoid the ending that she didn't have. The sun crept across the kitchen and Bella drank cup of tea after cup of tea, jotting down ideas in her notebook until her stomach growled at the amount of liquid and lack of sustenance it had received.<p>

She had just opened the fridge (Sam appearing magically at her side in case she found something she wanted to throw his way) when there was a knock at the door. To Sam's disappointment, she closed the fridge and went to the front door instead.

Jacob smiled warmly at her from the doorstep and she smiled back, pleased to see his familiar countenance.

"Morning, Bella. Just wanted to say hi on my way up to the house." He said and Bella leant against the door frame, glancing at the clear blue sky.

"Nice day for it." She murmured inanely.

"Spring is well on the way." He agreed.

"I was about to make some lunch. Come on in." She stepped back and he followed her into the kitchen, Sam dancing delightedly around Jacob's legs. Jacob sat himself at the kitchen table, stroking Sam's head, which rested docilely on his knee.

Bella threw together some sandwiches with thick slices of cured ham and chunks of mature cheddar cheese as Jacob chattered away, but she barely listened as he spoke about seeds and weeding. She wondered if she should tell him about the previous night's escapades and hesitated as she sliced the sandwiches, torn between wanting a second opinion and not wanting to seem utterly mad.

"Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"Um…" She sat down, sliding the sandwich across to him and wrapped her hands around her mug, "I think… Jacob, there's something… _odd_ going on."

"What's wrong?" He looked at her in concern and she shook her head briefly.

"I don't even know where to begin."

"Is it clichéd to say at the beginning?" He grinned and she smiled as he took a large bite of his sandwich.

So she told him. Not everything, only that she'd had a strange dream (foregoing the embarrassingly intimate details) and Sam's reaction to the house, her own approach of the house and what she'd seen in the window.

That piqued his attention and he leaned forward, frowning. When she shook her head mutely, he laid his fingers over hers comfortingly.

"There was someone in the window. A man." She shuddered, looking down at their joined hands, "He was watching me, Jacob. He just stood there, looking at me. Then Sam barked and I jumped, I dropped the torch. When I looked back at the window, there was no one there and the light was off."

"What did you do?"

"Ran back here as fast as I could." She smiled weakly and Jacob smiled too, patting her fingers before drawing his hand back.

"That's a hell of story."

"I know."

"Did the alarms go off? Did you check to see if the doors were open?"

"No, they didn't and no, I didn't." Bella sighed, knowing what was coming.

Jacob pulled his hand back and rested his chin on his fist, looking at her. Bella kept her gaze on the table as he sat in thoughtful silence.

"Bella, is it possible that you were dreaming?"

"Jacob, don't…"

"It's just… you say that you're having a weird dream. And then you see this man in the window but none of the alarms went off… well, you said he just vanished."

Bella stared at a knot on the wooden table, tracing it with a fingertip. Was there any point continuing this conversation? Clearly he wasn't going to believe her.

But she couldn't tell him about the rest of it. The flowers, the dreams… those were beyond explanation and she didn't want to listen to his attempts.

"You've come from a flat in central London to the arse end of nowhere. I mean, you're pretty isolated out here, Bella, it can make your mind play tricks on you. You had a weird dream and then it just got carried away." Jacob said reassuringly, "Don't work yourself, OK? And don't feel silly either, it could have happened to anyone."

But a grain of fear had planted itself in her chest as she turned her gaze to the flowers on the windowsill, she knew that something was not right at Cullen Hall.

* * *

><p>"I thought you only came in twice a week at the moment?" Bella as she walked him to the door. Jacob nodded, rolling his eyes a little.<p>

"That was the plan. I got a call from Shelley Cope yesterday. The family are coming to the house."

"The family?"

"The Cullens. They haven't stayed in the house in about fifteen years and have decided that now is the time to come back, so I've got to get the gardens looking at their very best before they get here. Should be a couple of weeks before they arrive, but it's still a lot of work to get done."

"How strange, why now?" Bella felt discomfort stir in her stomach at the thought of having her quiet life disturbed.

Jacob's face dropped slightly.

"Emmett, one of Mr and Mrs Cullen's children, his wife Rosalie just had a miscarriage. Right near the end of her pregnancy as well, Mrs Cope said. They're sort of gathering around to support them both and they'll have plenty of privacy here."

Pain shot through Bella's heart at the thought of this Rosalie's poor lost baby, emanating the emotion that she'd felt every time she'd visited her own baby's grave. She still had flowers placed there every month.

"I see." She said softly, not wishing to betray her emotions. Jacob nodded morosely then reached out and squeezed her shoulder.

"I'd better get to work. Thanks for lunch and here…" he held out a slip of paper, "That's my mobile phone number. If anything _happens_, give me a call. I don't live far away, I can be here in fifteen minutes. Just be aware that if you call before eight in the morning, my wife is liable to go insane and smash the phone if it wakes her."

"Thanks, Jacob." Bella smiled slightly, tucking the number into her pocket and he saluted her briefly before going to his van and climbing in. Bella stood in the doorway, watching as the white vehicle disappeared up the road.

She closed the door and turned, heading back to the kitchen. Sam was sniffing at a crumb on the kitchen table and she rubbed his head as she carried the plates to the sink, where she stood for a moment, staring at the three flowers that sat in the vase, sunlight reflecting off of the glass and casting bright patches across the walls.

Bella shook her head and turned on the tap, studiously keeping her eyes on the sink rather than out of the window and across the grass to the house in the near distance.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello sweethearts. Hope you're all well! Thank you SO much for the reviews! And hello to my new twitter friends, please come and talk to me!**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id =36427841 – Visuals! Once again, not such a fascinating one but there's a nice sandwich in there and Chaske Spencer is pretty yummy…**

**Some personal news for you – as of Monday, I will be a full time Primary School teacher! ARGH! I will have 30 six-year-olds looking to me for education – a truly terrifying thought! Hence the updates will unfortunately have to slow down. I'll post the next one this weekend sometime and after that it'll probably be just once a week or so.**

**Much love**

**Katie**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

A week passed without another dream, thankfully. Bella set herself up with a routine of twice daily runs, cooking, playing with Sam, watching mindless daytime television and cursing her novel to the lowest depths of hell.

Still an ending escaped her and the more she reread what she had done, the more her distaste for the protagonist grew. She was about an inch away from deleting the whole thing and it was only the thought of Angela's wrath that prevented her.

It was late on a Thursday when Bella lay her head down on the kitchen table, groaning loudly. She'd opened a blank word document with the thought of writing a few alternative scenes to help the creativity flow, but nothing was forthcoming.

She had never suffered a block like this, it was agonising. It made her fingers twitch and her brain feel so heavy that it weighed her whole head down, hence why she had rested it on her folded arms.

Her mind was pounding with exhaustion and frustration from how little she'd achieved. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh as she thought about the blank word document. It felt better to lie there, calm and quiet and let her mind drain of any thoughts that involved her novel or her dreams or the strange man.

Who knew how long she stayed there, her feeling calmer and more at ease with every passing moment. Dozing and dreamy, Bella let out a low hum as her muscles relaxed, as though a cool hand was running over them, bringing them to ease.

* * *

><p>After what felt like a few moments, she opened her eyes and sat up abruptly, panic hitting her but she was alone. She'd fallen asleep and looking out of the window, she saw that the sun had descended in the sky, casting long shadows across the room. Bella anticipated that there was about another hour or so before sunset and arched her back, stretching her spine and feeling it click.<p>

Then she saw her laptop screen and jumped back, the chair clattering over on the stone floor.

The blank word document was no longer blank.

_They cannot part us._

The words were stark and bold against the white background and Bella found her hands clamped over her mouth.

She had _not_ typed that. Before she'd fallen asleep, that had been a blank page and now… it wasn't.

Someone had written that.

No, not someone. The man from her dreams. He had said that – he had told her, or rather, Marie, that they would not be parted.

"Shit. _Shit_." The curses escaped her and she slammed the laptop closed, backing away from the table and heading for the backdoor.

"Sam, do you want to go out?" She called and he looked at her over the back of the sofa, where he was lounging with a sleepy expression. After a moment, his head sank out of view and she went without him, too on edge to wait any longer.

* * *

><p>Her feet carried her towards the house, her mind still whirl-winding around what had happened.<p>

Never mind what Jacob had said, how rational he had attempted to be – this wasn't something that could be explained away.

_You did it in your sleep_, Bella's mind said firmly, _You were exhausted and addled from lack of rest and you've been anxious. _

Her mind was perfectly rational regarding the situation.

Her heart was pounding a different message. One of alarm and fear.

Bella shook her head abruptly and walked faster, trying to leave the thoughts behind her, letting them dissipate into the wind.

Her feet carried her onwards.

Bella stared up at the window. It was in shadow, along with the rest of this side of the house. A shiver crept up her spine like an ice cold finger and she turned away, her eyes settling on the entrance of the maze. She had almost an hour before sunset and had no desire to go back to her cottage. Stuffing her hands into the front pockets of her hoodie, she walked slowly towards the maze.

* * *

><p>It was more relaxing than she had imagined, wandering among the cool green hedges. Bella walked at a slow pace, trailing her fingers over the rough texture of the shrubs. Light struck the plant walls at strange angles, giving them a strange illumination, like something out of a dream. Bella wandered the maze, not really paying attention to the route she was taking, but as the sun came lower she reached a small open area and realised that she had reached the centre of the maze.<p>

It wasn't large at all, a circular patch of ground, with two entrances facing each other and a small pedestal in the centre, which Bella approached, tracing the swirling pattern that was engraved in the bronze disc that was set in the stone. She felt almost as though she was in a trance, so calm and detached from her usual self.

"_Edward, I beseech you!" _

She jumped, fisting her hands against her chest as the voice broke the still air. A strong, English voice had spoken mere feet from where she stood, on the other side of the nearest hedge. Edging closer, she tilted her head, listening and holding her breath.

There was a heavy sigh.

"_Marcus, I can assure you that there is nothing to discuss."_

Bella's heart skipped a beat and she felt her legs shake beneath her. She knew that voice.

"_I find that quite unlikely, Edward. You've been storming about the house in a greater temper than I've ever seen you. As your brother it would be remiss of me not to enquire as to its origins."_

There was a low chuckle from _Edward_ and Bella tried to swallow but her throat was too dry to take the action.

"_Marcus, I would not sully your idyllic mood with such gloom. Not when you are clearly too delighted regarding your impending nuptials to truly empathise with my plight."_

_Marcus_ laughed now, a happy, carefree sound, so unlike that of his brother. Bella found herself wondering if he had _Edward's_ dark eyes and soft hair.

"_Can you blame me? Have you ever seen such a handsome woman as my Didyme?"_

"_You refer to her by her Christian name?" Edward_ sounded surprised and Marcus laughed again.

"_My dear brother, if you are ever fortunate enough to find a woman that you can hardly stand to be parted from, then you shall find that the name means little in comparison to the emotion you feel at the very thought of her."_

"_You've become a Romantic, Marcus. How disappointing."_

"_Do you truly believe that you can fool your own brother, Edward?" Marcus_'s voice was patient but with the edge of someone who found the situation trying, "_Uncle Aro declares that it's time for you to find your own bride and your mood had become darker than a storm sent from Hell itself."_

_Edward _was silent for a long time and _Marcus _sighed again.

"_I would hope that you know, Edward, that should you need anything that you have only to ask. I would refuse you nothing in this world."_

"_I know." Edward_ said quietly and then let out a deep breath, "_I'll walk a while longer. Would you leave me with my thoughts?"_

"_Of course." _

Bella heard footsteps and was still, waiting to see if anything would happen. But no one spoke and she let out the breath that she didn't know she'd been holding, turning to one of the two exits to the little area – and halting immediately.

_Edward_ was stood in the darkening gap of the hedge, gazing at her.

For a long moment, they stared at each other. _Edward_ was the first to move, taking a few long strides towards her, his handsome face breaking into a light smile.

"_Marie, what are you doing here? They'll miss you."_ He said, but the joy in his tone belied his anxious words. Before Bella could react, he had cupped her cheek, sliding his cold hand to bring her neck closer, his mouth lowering to brush against hers.

With an alarmed cry, Bella fell back. _Edward_ stared at her in confusion before taking another step in her direction.

Bella ran.

* * *

><p>She couldn't get out.<p>

_She couldn't get out!_

Every corner twisted away, to another corridor of green leaves, another turn that led her deeper into the maze and the tears were hot on her face and the fear was like a bird, scrabbling and flapping in her chest.

As she reached another corner, Bella let out a whimper, the desperation pounding through her veins as she gasped for breath. It was dark, so dark, too dark to see more than a few feet in front of her, reducing her to feeling her way along the hedge.

Was he still here? If she stopped, would she be able to hear his footsteps, hear his voice calling for Marie? What would he do when he reached her?

Up ahead, she saw something that made her heart lurch.

There was a lighter patch of hedge, a gap…

She was at the entrance.

With another panting cry, Bella ran at it, her legs sore, her chest giving aching heaves as she fell through the gap and screamed as she hit a solid figure.

"Bella, what the hell are you doing?"

Jacob caught her by the arms, alarm showing in his face as he stared down at her tear-stained, panicked expression.

"He… he…" Bella stammered and bowed her head, not daring to look behind her in case she saw the figure standing in the entrance to the maze.

"Bella?" Jacob's tone was fully of anxiety.

She gulped a large breath and looked up at him again, clinging to his jacket.

"He was there… Jacob, he was in there… he was…" She sobbed. Jacob, unable to find words to comfort her or make sense of the situation, wrapped his arms around her, looking over her shoulder at the black mouth of the maze where, for a strange moment, the shadows almost seemed to form the shape of a man before the sun finally set.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh me, oh my. Such strange goings on. **

**Have I told you all lately that I love you? Your support for my reason for no updating more often is very touching. Yes, come Monday morning I will be setting off on my adult career. How terrifying – I'd rather be chased through a hedge maze by Ghostward… **

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set? id=36552084 – For your viewing pleasure. **

**Please do leave a review on your way out and don't forget to recommend 'Cullen Hall' to ALL your friends! Lol, just kidding. But not really. But I am. Sort of. And join me on twitter for update info/teasers if such a thing tickles your fancy, Kat097  
><strong>

**Much Love**

**Katie.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Jacob half carried Bella back to his van, tucking her into the passenger seat before climbing into the driver's seat and flicking on the headlights, following the path away from the house as quickly as he dared. He cast an unnerved glance at the woman beside him. Her hands were twisting together in her lap, her breath coming in shuddering gasps. Her face was pale and her eyes wide.

He pulled into small driveway of the lodge and jumped out to help Bella to the door. Her slender fingers shook against his arm.

Jacob went in first, turning on all of the lights downstairs and letting Sam out into the garden. Bella had fallen into her seat at the kitchen table and Jacob made himself busy, putting the kettle on and dropping teabags into a couple of mugs.

After a few minutes, when they were both seated and holding steaming cups of tea, Jacob sat patiently, watching as the blood returned to Bella's cheeks and her hands ceased in their trembling. She was staring dully at the table but he could see the anguish behind her dark eyes.

"Bella?" She looked at him and he tilted his head, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

So she did. She told him everything, watching his face grow evermore disbelieving, from that first dream to the flowers to the man in the window being the man from her dreams to being the man who had come across her in the maze.

He gulped a mouthful of tea.

Bella shook her head mutely, pushing her hair out of her face as she looked up at him.

"I know. I _know_ it sounds insane, but… these dreams, they _aren't_ dreams. Jacob, when I got back here after I saw that man in the window, I went straight upstairs and there was another flower on my bed. That tulip." She gestured at the windowsill, "How could that have gotten there?"

Jacob was silent for a long moment, staring at the flowers. His brow contorted in thought and Bella watched as his dark eyes moved from the flowers to her face.

"I'm trying to think of a way of explaining this without sound… I don't know… patronising, maybe? But you _do_ realise how…"

"Crazy I sound? Oh, I'm well aware." Bella said dryly and Jacob smiled.

"As for the flowers… well, we don't grow asters or daffodils. But they might grow wild in the woods. They could have been blown over, or dropped by wildlife."

"Onto my pillow in the middle of the night in a locked house?" Bella asked dryly and Jacob shrugged, sighing.

"I don't know. But… what exactly are you trying to tell me, Bella? That your dreams are coming true? That someone is stalking you?"

And there it was. The exposure of the fact that Bella didn't _know_ what she was trying to tell him, or what she was trying to explain. How could she explain when she didn't understand at all?

Jacob looked over at the flowers again and frowned.

"If you do think someone's leaving those flowers for you, maybe they're trying to tell you something."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, flowers have meanings. Daffodils mean new life or eternal life, something like that," Jacob screwed up his face, thinking, "Asters… I think those mean patience. And tulips are about announcing love for someone."

Bella stared at him.

"How on earth do you know all that? Is that some kind of gardening thing?" She asked in surprise and Jacob had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Not exactly. It's more of a, _my wife thought that it would be a fun couples activity to take flower arranging classes_ thing." He muttered and Bella smiled weakly.

He sat silently for a moment.

"Do you want me to call the police?"

"No. There's no point, I can't prove anything. The alarms didn't go off. The cottage is completely locked before I go to bed, so he couldn't have broken in or gotten out so quickly."

"Then what are you saying?" Jacob asked again, not rude or pushy, but genuinely perplexed.

Bella stared down at her rapidly cooling tea.

"…I don't know. I just know that I'm not imagining this."

Jacob swallowed his last mouthful of tea and stretched back in his chair, wincing as his mobile phone beeped irritably.

"That'll be the missus. Should have been back for dinner by now."

"I'm sorry-" Bella began but he waved her apology away, pulling out the phone.

"No problem," He glanced at her, "Tell you what… tomorrow evening, we'll go up to the house. We'll double check all the doors and make sure that the alarm system is on properly. Would that help to put your mind at rest?"

Bella nodded and he smiled warmly.

"OK. Did you want me to stay? Only Leah can get a bit temperamental when it comes to her cooking…"

"Go. Don't risk the wrath of an angry woman." Bella smiled weakly and he chuckled, standing and walking with her to the door.

"You've got my number. Call if anything happens. Keep Sam with you and lock up right after I leave, OK?"

"OK." She whispered and he winked.

"I'll bring you back a bit of Leah's shepherd's pie. Best in the county."

* * *

><p>Bella slept restlessly but had no <em>visits<em>. She woke just after seven, feeling as though she hadn't slept at all and decided to take a shower.

Standing under the hot spray eased her tense, aching shoulders and she tilted her head back letting the water run down her face. Today, they would sort things out. They would. There had to be something in that house to explain what was going on.

There _had_ to be a logical explanation, Bella told herself, glaring at her reflection in the steamed up bathroom mirror. She wiped her hand over the glass, examining her flushed skin and determined eyes.

There had to be.

* * *

><p>Jacob arrived promptly at six o'clock that evening, with a bowl of shepherd's pie in hand.<p>

"Leah says to cook it at one-hundred and eighty for twenty minutes and that we're having steak and kidney pie tonight if you want some." He said and Bella smiled, putting the bowl in the fridge.

"That sounds good."

"You'll be lucky to get any. It's my favourite and there's not likely to be much left over." He chuckled, leading her out to the van.

"How long have you been married?" Bella asked and he laughed again, a little dryly.

"Five years, for all my sins. We were both twenty three and it seemed like the best thing to do on our day off. So we went into London, got married, bought some sandwiches in Tesco and went for a walk along the Embankment."

Bella stared at him and then broke into a smile.

"That's lovely, Jacob."

"Yeah, our families didn't think so. Made us have some big party. But we got to see a man stand perfectly still whilst spray painted silver next to the River Thames, so who won really?" He winked and she let out a soft laugh.

The sun was beating down, making it more like an early summer day than mid spring. Jacob seemed to be far more relaxed and Bella's determination made for a much better atmosphere than that of the night before.

"I called Shelley Cope to let her know we were going in. She said it was fine and to make sure it was clean. She sent up a cleaning crew last week to get it ready for the family."

"Do you know when they're arriving?"

"Any time in the next week. Mr and Mrs Cullen are coming from London, so that's not far. The oldest is coming from Los Angeles, the middle son and his wife are on their way back from Italy and the youngest, their daughter, was in New York last that I heard. Can't remember most of their names for the life of me." Jacob pulled to a stop outside the front doors and turned off the engine before giving her a brief smile.

"Ready to sort things out?"

"I'm ready to try." Bella muttered, unbuckling her seatbelt and looked out of the window at the tombstone-like doors to Cullen Hall.

* * *

><p>There were approximately forty rooms in Cullen Hall, split across three floors. The window that Bella had seen <em>Edward<em> in had been on the middle floor, so whilst Jacob checked the alarm system codes, she made her way up the grand staircase, turning towards the eastern wing. The dark wooden floors echoed under her feet and she moved onto the rug that ran along the centre of the corridor. Doors appeared on either side of her and she closed her eyes, trying to calculate exactly which window she had seen him in. Counting the wooden doors on her right hand side, she moved to the second door from end of the corridor and turned the brass handle.

It was one of the many bedrooms, tastefully decorated in a state that suited the age and style of the house but with modern commodities. There was a large four-poster bed, made with fresh linens, a table with a mirror facing it. Bella passed a fireplace with an armchair, ran her fingers over a shelf of leather covered books as she made her way to the window.

This was definitely the room. She stared down at the spot that she had stood in and gripped the windowsill, painfully aware that she was standing where He had stood.

She shivered and turned away, leaning against the windowsill as she looked around the room. She didn't feel _anything_. Not unnerved or on edge.

It was just a room.

* * *

><p>Jacob met her in the entrance hall.<p>

"Find anything?"

"No." Bella sighed, not wanting to admit how foolish she felt. Jacob smiled warmly, patting her shoulder in a friendly way.

"I just need to check the kitchen door then I'll head out. Are you OK to walk back or did you want to wait for a lift?"

"I'll walk back, I need the air. Thank Leah for the food for me."

"Will do. I'm not back in until Tuesday now, so I'll call in then, OK?"

He disappeared down the right hand corridor, towards the dining room and kitchen. Bella turned towards the front door and then hesitated as a cold breeze danced across her. She turned her face to the opposite corridor to the one that Jacob had gone down. A frown creased her forehead and she began to follow the breeze, searching for an open door or window.

About halfway down the corridor, around a corner, she found a door that was slightly ajar. Bella rested her hand on the doorknob and closed her eyes briefly at its icy temperature. Far too cold.

Unnaturally cold.

The breeze swept around her as she pushed the door, letting it swing open. It creaked as it went, slicing into the silence like a jagged razor blade. Bella felt a lump in her throat as she stepped into the room.

It was a library. Dark oak shelves lined the walls, glass fronts protecting leather tomes that no one had read in decades. The room smelt fresh and the no dust lifted from the carpet as she stepped on it. Bella kept her eyes down, examining furniture, the hand carved table and antique chairs that were so well maintained that they looked new but for the style of them.

The breeze struck the back of her neck and she winced, knowing that there was no window behind her but as she turned, her eyes still downcast, she saw a fireplace, the iron grate clean and ready for use beneath a marble mantelpiece.

Her eyes slid up the wall with trepidation, knowing that she didn't want to look, knowing that it was something that she dreaded.

It was an oil painting, set in a gilt-edged frame. Bella's eyes passed over the clichéd backdrop of a curtain and table, sliding over the dark trousers, the neat waistcoat and the clean white shirt, ever so slightly tinted yellow with age. She saw broad shoulders and a strong, narrow jaw, a straight nose, heavier than anticipated eyebrows and dark auburn hair, neatly combed.

She saw dark coffee coloured eyes that pierced hers.

He stared down at her, calm and resplendent in his unnatural beauty, the oil giving his pallor a lifelike tint that Bella didn't need to see, because she had seen him move, talk, touch.

A terrified sob caught in her throat as her eyes dropped to the slim brass plaque that was screwed neatly onto the frame.

_Edward Mason Cullen_

_1845 – 1874_

Bella ran.

* * *

><p>She ran past the maze, towards the lake, barely noticing that it had started to rain, the heavy drops staining the ground as she went. Her lungs ached and she was gasping unattractively for breath, wheezing as she fell against her front door. She heard Sam whimpering eagerly inside, desperate for her attention.<p>

Bella unlocked the door, pushing Sam down as he leapt at her. She pushed her sopping hair out of her face.

"We have to go." She whispered to him, going to the kitchen and pulling a shopping bag from the cupboard under the sink. She threw Sam's food bowls in with a bag of his food, before stuffing her laptop into its case and putting that in there too. Sam stood in the doorway, watching with an anxious expression as she whirled around the kitchen. He gave another low whimper.

Bella pushed past him to the stairs and went into the bathroom, grabbing her toothbrush and a wash bag, pushing in the few cosmetics that she owned before turning to go into the bedroom. The fear and panic that was eating away at her had not lessened and she pushed away the thought of getting changed into drier clothes.

She had to leave this place. She couldn't stay in this house, on this estate, not now that she knew. Or maybe she had always known and this was just confirmation of fears that were so deep-rooted that she had denied them in her own mind.

She was being haunted by a man who had died over a century earlier.

Bella stopped, still staring at her clothes as they hung in the wardrobe. She felt weak and was shaking, her damp clothes clinging to her uncomfortably, rough against her skin. The reality of what was happening hit her and she fought the tears, reaching for a large bag that sat in the bottom of the wardrobe and throwing some jeans and shirts in, before turning to drop the bag on the bed.

She cried out and dropped the bag, her hands flying to her tear streaked face.

A flower, a pale blue anemone, was lying on her pillow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello sweetie pies! Thank you SO much for the reviews. I can't believe we're almost at a hundred already! And super huge hugs and kisses and general arse-kissery to jenjiveg for reccing CH on her story!**

**Anemone **_**- on a darker note indicates fading hope and a feeling of having been forsaken. On a positive note it symbolizes **__**anticipation**__**.**_

**So, I have survived the first week with my 30 munchkins. And what a treat they are! I've been so mean to them – got to be, so they don't start thinking they can get away with some of the things they've tried to pull! And I've been marginally amused by the fact that one of them has the last name 'Cullen'.**

**www(d0t)polyvore.(dot)com/cgi/set?id =36835917 – enjoy! **

**Come tweet with me and leave a review!**

**Much Love**

**Katie **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

There was no air in the room.

Bella fell back against the wardrobe doors, unable to breathe as she stared at the simple bloom.

He had been here again.

She had to get out!

Steering clear of the bed, she ran to the bedside table, fumbling for her book, seizing the handful of loose change she kept in a saucer and not noticing that in her haste, she had snatched up the silver locket that had lain forgotten. She dropped the money and locket in her pocket and heaved her bag from the bed, turning her back on the flower as she raced down the stairs. Sam looked up in alarm, tail tucked between his legs and sat patiently as she pulled on a coat.

"Come on, Sam. We have to get out of here." She said in a tight whisper, her throat constricted. He made a low keening sound, curling around her legs as she buttoned her coat against the now heavy rain. It hit the ground so hard that it rebounded, soaking her feet in the few seconds it took to get to the truck.

Bella went out to the truck first, putting her bag in the foot well on the passenger side before going back for Sam. He settled nervously on the seat as she slammed the door shut and flicked on the headlights, glancing at the cottage. Sam shivered behind her, his whole body trembling with anxiety.

She was still for a moment, eyes searching the small stone building for any sign of movement, before throwing the gearstick into first gear and pulling out of the driveway and onto the road, driving away from Cullen Hall.

* * *

><p>Bella couldn't leave.<p>

She want to, but she couldn't.

She was driving at approximately twelve miles an hour, the road dark and the rain so heavy that she could barely see more than ten feet ahead. She just hoped it wouldn't start thundering or she'd have Sam having a panic attack to deal with as well.

The wipers swept back and forth, making no difference to the intense downpour of rain and Bella knew that, if she was being sensible, she should pull over and wait until the road was clear. However this particular road was one of those exasperating English country roads that only had room for one vehicle at a time, with hedges lining the road. Bella was sure that it widened up before it reached the village, somewhere near a gate that led to a field, and she persisted, hunched over the wheel and refusing to consider the logical – to turn back and wait out the storm.

She could not go back. Not now that she knew the truth.

Sam sighed heavily, ears pricked as he watched the wipers go back and forth. Bella glanced down at him before lifting her eyes to the road, noticing that it was widening. Sure enough, she saw the gate coming up to her left hand side, a large tree hanging over it. She could pull over for a few minutes to see if the rain eased up, or at least check the forecast on her phone.

Sam whimpered noisily, pushing himself back into the seat.

And a figure appeared in the road, an indiscernible male figure, his dark eyes wide as he held out a hand, palm flat in the universal gesture for 'stop'. His lips moved soundlessly, his hair and clothes unaffected by the ferocious rain.

Bella shrieked, twisting the wheel to one side and throwing her arm over her eyes instinctively. The front of the truck hit something, a tree, and both Sam and Bella lurched forward. Bella's brain rattled in her skull, the air knocked out of her lungs by the seatbelt whilst Sam yelped anxiously, scrambling desperately to find purchase beneath his feet. For a moment, Bella sat, staring at the cracked trunk of the tree before her, trembling as her breath came in gasping sobs.

It had been him. It had been _Edward_, the man, the ghost, the whatever-he-was.

She struggled with her seatbelt, throwing it away from her as she opened the car door, leaning out and peering desperately through the rain.

Bella half-fell out of the truck and turned to close the door but Sam threw himself at her, knocking her to the sodden ground. His ears flattened against his skull as he stared into the rain at something only he could see and Bella saw the fur ridge against his back as he growled, his wild eyes fixed on a point further down the road. He let out another vicious growl and Bella inhaled sharply.

"Sam…?" She whispered.

And then he took off running at a speed that Bella couldn't possibly keep up with. She scrambled to her feet.

"Sam!" She screamed into the rain, running after him, "_Sam!_"

She couldn't see him anywhere and she sobbed desperately, running down the dark, soaked road. She screamed his name again and again.

"Sam! Sam, please! Come here, Sam!"

The road twisted around to the right and she followed the bend and then screamed as headlights blinded her. She covered her eyes with an arm, falling to the side of the road. But the road was different here, with shallow ditches lining the concrete before giving way to a hedge. Bella stumbled as the ground gave way beneath her feet and she slipped, knocking her head against an outstretched branch of a tree that leaned over the road.

She fell onto the road, her head spinning and black specks creeping into the corners of her vision. The car that had so nearly hit her had screeched to a stop and before unconsciousness claimed her, Bella rolled onto her back and stared up into the rain as a figure dropped to one knee beside her, indiscernible voices calling nearby.

And Bella closed her eyes in fear, because the face leaning over hers was that of Edward.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh yeah. This shit just got real.**

**I'm well aware that this is a very short chapter. And thanks to jenjiveg, chapter 11 will be posted tomorrow and not next weekend, cos… well, it sucks to wait a week for a chapter and it be this short.**

**www(dot)polyvore(d0t)com/cgi/set?id= 37162368**

**Classroom update: Fun, exhausting and diseased. Seriously, kids are covered in germs and I've had an awful cold for the majority of this week. Behaviour issues. A neverending to-do-list. Such is the glamorous life of a teacher!**

**Leave a review, join me on twitter and I'll see you tomorrow.**

**Much love**

**Katie.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"_Isabella?"_

Bella's eyebrows twitched together. Her head was aching, pain ebbing in waves from a spot on the right side of the back of her skull. Her limbs felt heavy and she could feel the rough, warm sensation of wool against her bare arms.

"Isabella?" The murmur of her name didn't seem to come from so far away this time. She strained her eyelids, blinking up at the dull light above her. A face came into view and she automatically tensed. But this face was topped with light blonde hair, hints of silver at the temples, beneath which were light blue eyes that gazed into hers. Bella blinked in confusion.

"What?" She whispered hoarsely. The face smiled warmly.

"Isabella Swan?"

"Yes… I don't…" She blinked again and then sat up abruptly, ignoring the pounding in her head. The man moved back softly, sitting on the edge of a small sofa, but Bella was too frantic to pay attention to him.

"Oh my god, Sam! Did you see him?"

"Sam?" The man frowned and put a hand on Bella's shoulder as she tried to move, "Hold on, Isabella, you've had quite the knock to the head."

"Sam, my dog, he ran off into the rain. I need to find him." Bella tried to explain, her words blurring together as she spoke quickly, but a warm female voice made her turn her head.

"He's right here."

A woman was standing in the door, auburn hair tumbling around her shoulders and framing a pale heart shaped face, in which were set a pair of bright green eyes. Next to her, looking suitably sheepish and damp was Sam.

"Sam!" Bella gasped and he took that as an invitation, bounding across the room. Bella let out a sob, wrapping her arms around the wriggling saluki as he rubbed his face against her.

"Oh, don't you _ever_ do that to me again!" She scolded him and he poked his wet nose against her cheek, not seeming to care that he was being chastened. The man gave a soft laugh.

"What a happy reunion."

Bella looked at him again, trying to figure out what was going on when she realised where she was. This was undoubtedly one of the rooms in Cullen Hall. She'd ended up in the exact place she'd been trying to escape. She swung her legs off of the sofa, rubbing her face with both hands before looking at the blonde man again.

"I take it that you're Mr Cullen?"

"Carlisle, please. And this is my wife, Esme." He gestured to the woman and she smiled, moving into the room.

"You gave us quite a fright, we almost ran you down." She said and Bella looked down, thinking back.

"I crashed my truck. Sam got out, I was running after him." She whispered as Esme leant against the back of the sofa, patting her shoulder.

"We found your truck. My son drove it back for you, it's waiting outside. I dare say you did more damage to the tree than your vehicle."

"You have a mild concussion, Isabella," Carlisle said, "So Esme has set up one of the guest rooms for you. I'll need to keep an eye on you throughout the night. I've had medical training, you see."

"It's Bella." Bella said, trying to wrap her head around what was going on and then started, "Wait… no, I can't stay here. I mean…"

The mere thought of spending a night in this place, where _Edward_ stalked the hallways, was beyond horrifying.

"I won't be argued with," Carlisle said firmly but with a twinkle in his eye, "and my wife certainly won't. We nearly ran you over, the very least we can do is make sure that you haven't sustained brain damage."

Bella swallowed nervously and shook her pounding head.

"Really, it's not necessary. I'll just go back to the lodge."

"Sleeping Beauty awakes!" A cheerful English voice carried across the room and Bella looked over her shoulder and saw a large man coming in. His bulk was muscular and in his height, which all belied the childlike smile on his face, full of glee.

"This is our son, Emmett, oh and here's our daughter in law, Rosalie." Esme introduced the slender blonde woman who had entered behind Emmett. Bella saw no more than a glimpse of pale skin and bright blue eyes before Rosalie turned away, standing so that she face Emmett. His arms wrapped around her, although his eyes stayed on Bella.

"I parked your truck outside and put your bags in the spare room." He said and Bella swallowed, standing up. Sam wound around her legs, still nuzzling at her hand for attention.

"That won't be necessary, I can just stay at the lodge." She repeated but Carlisle shook his head.

"I have to insist, for your own health, that you stay here." He said firmly.

Bella didn't know how to tell him that her health depended on her getting away from Cullen Hall as quickly as possible.

Esme moved around the sofa to wrap an arm around Bella's shoulders. She smelt sweet, like some classic perfume.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's get something warm in you, it's been a very long evening. Then, in the morning, you can go back to the lodge. Shelley Cope said that you're a writer, you couldn't have chosen a more inspirational location!" Esme said conversationally.

Bella allowed herself to be guided towards the door but stopped as another figure appeared in the door.

"I unpacked the food and the kettles on." He said in a low voice but stopped as every eye in the room turned to Bella, who had stumbled and gasped, clutching at a nearby chair as the blood drained from her face.

It was _Edward_.

"Bella, are you alright?" Esme asked, going to support her but Bella simply stared at him. And the more she stared, the more she realised… that it _wasn't_ him. They were remarkably similar, so close in appearance that she could have sworn for a moment… but, no. This man's jaw was wider, covered in light stubble. His hair was wilder, sticking up in different directions as though he'd been running his hand through it and his eyes were not the intense brown of _Edward's_ but were gleaming green, the same shade as Esme's.

She closed her eyes and averted her gaze, turning to Esme. She could still see him from the corner of her eye, felt his gaze on her.

"Just lightheaded." Her hands were trembling

"Maybe we should get you down to the kitchen and have some tea. Have you eaten? Oh, this is our eldest son, Edward."

Bella nodded, not looking at him. They just _had_ to have the same name, didn't they? She saw his feet disappear from the doorway and she took a deep breath before following Esme out of the room but not before she saw Rosalie's eyes flash coldly in her direction.

* * *

><p>To Bella's immense relief, the spare guest room was not the one that she had explored earlier that day. Instead her room was at the far end of the house, a couple of doors down from Carlisle and Esme's. Esme, who Bella found herself warming to immensely, had reassured her if she needed anything than she only had to call.<p>

"Carlisle will check in every couple of hours. You might not get a lot of sleep but it's better to be safe than sorry."

She had explained that they would be staying for at least a month in the house and that their youngest child, Alice, would be arriving in a few days' time but she had stopped to visit her fiancé, Jasper, in London on her way back from New York. Bella had been mildly surprised to hear that they wouldn't have any help coming.

"We're quite accustomed to looking after ourselves. If we had a full house we'd bring in some cleaners or a housekeeper but it's not worth it for just a few of us." Esme had said over tea and buttered toast.

* * *

><p>Bella drew the curtains in the bedroom shut and glanced around the room. It also had a four poster bed, but that seemed to be a staple in every bedroom in Cullen Hall. This room was decorated in dusky pinks and creams, prettily feminine. Bella dug through her hastily packed bag and found a pair of sleep shorts and a camisole. Before she started to get changed, there was a knock at the door and Carlisle's head appeared.<p>

"Everything alright?"

"Yes, thanks." Bella replied with a faint smile. He nodded.

"I'll check in with you in a few hours. I don't think anything will go wrong, but I'd rather not risk it."

"Thank you." Bella said sincerely, not wanting to appear ungrateful. She was very aware of how considerate Esme and Carlisle were being and if it weren't for her fear of staying in the source of the living nightmare she was embroiled in, she would have enjoyed the company.

"Anything you need, just shout." Carlisle told her before wishing her goodnight.

Bella changed and climbed into the large bed, the sheets cold against her skin. She left the bedside light on and stared at the shadows it cast on the wall.

What was she supposed to do now? She had tried to leave and been stopped by _Edward_. If crashing her car and getting a concussion wasn't a sign that she wasn't welcome to leave, she didn't know what was.

And she didn't even know where to start with Edward. Not _Edward_ but Edward. She sighed at the inevitable confusion. She did not like the idea of there being another Edward Cullen waking around Cullen Hall. One was too many for her comfort, but two… all she could do was avoid Edward until she could find a way to address the situation with _Edward_.

She wished that Sam was with here, but he'd curled up on a rug on the kitchen floor and made absolutely no attempt to leave, clearly exhausted by his jaunt that evening. Besides, Bella doubted that Esme would be happy with him spreading dog hairs over her lovely antique bedroom.

But the company would have been much appreciated.

Especially when Bella was disturbed from her sleep by cold hands stroking down her bare thighs.

At some point, she had clearly discarded the duvet, leaving her legs exposed and as she was roused into some semblance of consciousness, Bella froze. _Edward_ was lying behind her, on his side so that his large frame curved to hers. His hand slid across the pale flesh of her thigh as his cold breath danced across her neck.

_Not again. Please…_ she squeezed her eyes shut, balling her hands into fists as his lips pressed against the back of her neck.

"_Marie, I can't stay away from you."_ He spoke in a low voice and a tear rolled down Bella's cheek, soaking into the pillow as she tried to remain perfectly still. Her heart was hammering so hard that she thought that he must surely hear it, for a moment later he removed his hand from her hip and curled it around her, placing his palm flat against her chest. She felt him slide to fit against her, nuzzling the nape of her neck.

"_I love you so. I love you. I will marry you, Marie, I will." _His words were a fervent promise and Bella's heart ached at their sincerity as he bowed his head, pressing it against her shoulder.

Would he react if she spoke? Would he listen if she tried to explain? Was he even capable of hearing her or understanding?

Bella tried to slide away but his grip was tight and she whimpered slightly as he drew her back into his embrace. She felt ill, her head pounding and she half wondered if this wasn't some side effect of the blow to the head she'd suffered earlier.

But his hand had moved again and Bella bit her lip as one brushed over her breast, the coolness of it causing her nipple to pebble. She inhaled sharply as his mouth found her neck again, his lips nipping at her skin as his thigh moved against her legs, separating them so that his own leg lay between hers, causing an ache low in her. His fingers brushed slowly against the cotton over her breast, giving achingly sweet friction until she couldn't help the soft sigh that escaped her lips. His hips moved slowly, rubbing against her behind as he lavished attention on her neck and breast, his breath against her skin as she fought against the urges in her basic nature. She was so torn, almost desperate for his sweet attention and touch and sickened by the knowledge of what he was.

With immense effort, she breathed deeply and made to turn over, to face _Edward_ but as she did so, the doorknob turned and it creaked open. Bella jumped, sitting up with a loud gasp and Carlisle's apologetic face appeared in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He murmured and Bella shook her head, turning on the bedside lamp. Carlisle took in her pale countenance, tear streaks clearly visible on her bloodless cheeks and frowned.

"Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh, Carlisle! How wise you are! And oh, **_**Edward**_**! You raunchy ghost… yes, Edward and **_**Edward**_** will be distinguished by italics from here on out. Hope that isn't too confusing for you!**

**And well done to you super smartie pants who spotted the live Edward on his way. And well done to jenjiveg for suggesting a supernatural threesome. I can't promise that it will happen, but it's an **_**interesting**_** thought…**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=37211519 – man, you would not believe how hard it is to find a picture of Emmy Rossum crying. I had to use one from Phantom of the Opera, so please excuse the period costume…**

**Come tweet with me and leave me a review! I enjoy both. Next chapter will be next weekend. **

**Much love**

**Katie**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Bella was woken by Carlisle twice more throughout the night before waking naturally at around seven AM. She dressed quickly, hoping to slip out of the house before anyone else woke and avoid awkward conversation. She could almost feel the air in Cullen Hall seeping into her skin, marking her as a target.

She wondered if she could clean it away or if this place was going to keep her forever.

Bella went downstairs, clutching her shoes in one hand and her bag in the other, as she turned to go through the kitchen doors, which were situated behind and to the right of the staircase. Pushing open the door, she paused as she heard a voice but realised that it was the radio. Somebody else was clearly awake.

Entering the kitchen, Bella came to a halt suddenly, her heart in her mouth. Edward Cullen was sitting on the kitchen floor, back to the wall, with Sam lying across his outstretched legs. He was reading a newspaper, a pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. They both looked up as Bella entered and Sam stretched in a leisurely fashion but made no move to go to her.

"Good morning." Edward said softly and Bella nodded, not trusting herself to speak, "Would you like some tea or coffee?"

"We should go." Bella managed to choke out, eyes fixed on the floor and Edward gave Sam an amused glance as the dog thumped his tail happily against the floor, but stayed lying down.

"He doesn't seem to be in a rush."

"Sam…" Bella called but Sam simply rolled over, off of Edward's legs, and curled up.

_Traitor_, Bella thought grumpily as Edward stood, brushing his worn jeans off and moving to the kettle. A moment later Esme had appeared in the kitchen and Bella stood no chance of escaping.

* * *

><p>Two pieces of toast, three cups of tea and Bella had yet to leave the kitchen of Cullen Hall. She sat opposite Edward at the table, much to her distress, and answered Esme's questions politely, avoiding the eyes of the man opposite.<p>

"So what brings you to England, Bella?" Esme asked and Bella tightened her hands around her cup. Edward's eyes went to her tense fingers and he glanced at his mother.

"Mum, its breakfast, not the Spanish Inquisition."

"I'm just making conversation, darling." She scolded him, pouring him more coffee. Carlisle had already been and gone, needing to visit the town for more supplies. Emmett and Rosalie were nowhere to be seen.

"How long have you been in England?" Esme asked Bella, and she looked down at her teacup.

"About eight years. I went to university here. I was married to an Englishman."

"Oh, Mrs Cope didn't mention a Mr Swan." Esme said lightly and Bella smiled briefly, but there was no pleasure in the expression.

"She wouldn't have. We divorced over two years ago. Swan is my maiden name."

Esme winced visibly and Edward shook his head.

"Mum…"

"It's fine," Bella assured her, "It was my decision to get the divorce. I carried on living in London until I came here last month."

"Still, I'm sorry to remind you of it." Esme said apologetically, "I've been told that I don't have much of a filter. Once you meet Alice, you'll see it's hereditary."

Sam chose that moment to stand, stretching and flapping his ears noisily. Bella gave him a dry look.

"Oh, ready to go are you?"

"He's excellent company." Edward said, rubbing Sam's head. The dog grunted, seeking affection from Edward's hands and Bella looked away.

"We should get back to the lodge. Come on, Sam."

"Edward, would you mind getting the sheets out of the spare room?" Esme said, carrying empty plates and cups to the sink.

Bella murmured a brief goodbye and clicked her fingers at Sam, who followed her dutifully out of the kitchen. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs to collect her bag, Bella straightened and then paused as she saw Rosalie standing at the top of the stairs. The two women stared at each other for a moment before Rosalie's gaze became icy and Bella shivered slightly, nodding in acknowledgment before walking quickly to the front door.

Her truck was parked at the top of the driveway and Bella put some in the cabin with her bag before walking around to the front to inspect the damage. Esme had been right when she said that there was more damage done to the tree. Apart from a slight dent in the grate and some scratched up paintwork, it didn't look much different.

Bella walked around to the driver's side door and started as someone called her name.

"Isabella!" She turned and saw Edward jogging down the steps to the front door. Apprehension gripped her and she kept one hand on the car door as he came to a stop in front of her. He was tall, so much taller than she was and she fought a shudder at the familiarity of his features. He rubbed his jaw, fingers scratching against the stubble.

"Did you… did you want something?" Bella stammered, tearing her eyes away from his too-handsome face.

"You left this in the spare room." He said calmly, holding out his hand. Bella opened her palm and he placed something in her hand. His fingers brushed against hers and they were startlingly warm. Bella almost gasped, so used to cold hands and murmured affection that Edward's normal body temperature seemed mildly unnatural.

She looked down at what he had given her and frowned. It was the silver locket that she had found all that time ago by the lake.

"Oh. Thank you." She said blankly.

"It looks old. Don't want to leave it lying around." Edward said conversationally and Bella nodded vaguely, still turning the locket over in her hands.

"Yes… excuse me."

She put it in her pocket and with another murmured thank you, she climbed into the car and set off down the driveway, trying not to look at the man in her rear-view mirror.

* * *

><p>After settling Sam down and unpacking her things, Bella carried the latest flower, the light blue anemone, downstairs and placed it in the vase beside the others. The daffodil was starting to wilt now and Bella looked at them. The daffodil, the aster, the tulip and now the anemone. Did <em>Edward<em> intend them the way that Jacob had suggested?

Opening her laptop, Bella connected to the internet and googled 'flower meanings, anemone'. Clicking on a helpful looking link, Bella scrolled down to a picture of an anemone.

"_Anemone - a darker note indicates fading hope and a feeling of having been forsaken. On a positive note it symbolizes_ _anticipation_." Bella read aloud. That didn't sound good, neither the being forsaken nor the anticipation.

Bella had had quite enough anticipation.

She closed the laptop again, pushing it away and taking the locket out of her pocket. She rested her elbows on the table, examining it closely. Edward was right, it did look old. There was dirt encrusted around the pattern on the front of it, a simple print of flowers in an oval shape.

Bella dug a fingernail into the clasp of the locket. It was stiff and unyielding, making Bella afraid that she'd break it. But after a tense moment it opened slowly and Bella found herself looking at a tiny colourless photograph.

And she knew, without even having to look at the engraving set in the cover, that this was Marie.

The young woman in the locket had large dark eyes, soft and kind looking. Her curling dark hair was pulled back into sensible style of the fashion of the time and she wore a high collared blouse or dress, but as the photograph only showed her from the shoulders up, Bella couldn't say which. She knew that it had been unfashionable to smile for photographs so there was no wide beam on Marie's face but the corner of her mouth was slightly curled as though repressing great joy.

She was lovely and happy and Bella found herself on the edge of tears.

_What happened to you, Marie?_

Bella could see the resemblance between them. Dark hair and eyes, pale skin, the same full lips and heart shaped face. _Edward_ had clearly loved this woman and now he was… what, looking for her? Mistaken identity?

She looked at the tiny inscription in the back of the cover.

_Marie Tanner_

_Love Everlasting _

Bella closed the locket sharply, putting it back in her pocket and pushing back from the table.

* * *

><p>The morning had warmed and Bella wandered down the path, away from Cullen Hall. The sharply twisting road provided her with time to think and she did, trying to understand, trying to figure out why this was happening and what she could do to stop it. She didn't have a lot of experience with… with ghosts.<p>

But then, who did?

"Who you gonna call…" Bella muttered and then rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. How ridiculous.

She saw the end of the road, where it met with the country road she had turned down the night before. In her mind, she suddenly wondered if she could just _go. _If she just kept walking…

Before she knew what was happening, her feet were carrying her towards the road. Her heart lifted slightly. She was just being stupid, of _course_ she could leave!

_Crack_.

Bella screeched as a large branch swung down in front of her, crashing onto the road. She looked up to see that it had snapped off an overhanging tree. There had been no strong wind. Nothing had chopped the branch off. It had merely… snapped. Fallen into her path.

Stopping her.

Bella was nothing if not a practical person. She turned and half ran back to the lodge.

* * *

><p>Bella took Sam out with a ball that evening after trying Leah's shepherd's pie (which was as good as Jacob had boasted). She threw the ball as hard as she could and Sam sped after it, sliding to a halt as his teeth snapped around it before he came trotting back. After a brief wrestle for the ball, Bella threw it again across the lawn.<p>

Sam ran again, his long legs gliding through the air as he caught the ball before coming to a stop. His ears pricked up and he looked towards the far end of the house, taking a tentative step in that direction, pausing as Bella called him.

And then he was running off, his ball forgotten.

"Sam!" Bella shouted irritably as he vanished in the direction of the rose garden. She set off after him, pausing to pick up his ball. "Dumb dog."

She rounded the far corner of the house, hoping that none of the family happened to look out of the window and see her ungainly running. The rose garden came into view but there was no sign of Sam. Bella grumbled under her breath. Her lack of sleep was catching up with her, her head ached and the last thing she wanted to do was chase Sam around the grounds of Cullen Hall.

The rose garden was surrounded by a high wall, covered with climbing roses and Bella moved into the large area, eyes searching for her dog but stopped, filling with dread as an all too familiar voice reached her ears.

"_You cannot accuse me of this, Aro!" Edward's_ voice was angry and Bella shrank to the side of the wall, watching between the branches of a rose bush as two men came into sight through the garden. _Edward_ walked angrily, his hands clenched as he was followed by an older man, with slick black hair and sallow skin. He glowered at _Edward_ and seized his arm, turning him to face him.

"_Edward, I will not have you drag this family's name through the mud! When my brother died and I undertook the preservation of this family, I swore that I would not allow the Cullens to fall into disrepute through the selfishness of any of its members."_ His voice was soft and sly, even in the anger which showed in his thin face. _Edward_ glared down at him.

"_You are accusing me of destroying the family name, Uncle?"_

"_It is what will come to pass if you do not take responsibility of your birth right." Aro _hissed and _Edward_ shook his hand away.

"_And what would you have me do? Simper to repugnant fools in London? Spend my life rotting away in this house?"_ He turned away in disgust and Bella saw him wipe a hand across his face in frustration, the misery clear on his handsome face, "_If Marcus were to stay…"_

"_Marcus will be leaving after his wedding, as you are well aware. I don't know what he was thinking, marrying an American… that is why the responsibilities of Cullen Hall fall to you, Edward." Aro_ spat, "_Do you want to see everything that your ancestors have worked for crumble into dust?"_

"_If it meant that I would be free to live my life as I saw fit, then I would burn this place to the ground myself!" Edward _said bitterly and_ Aro _straightened his spine, the bitter hatred evident in his eyes.

"_You are a Cullen, Edward. No matter what ridiculous or idiotic thoughts permeate your sickening little mind, that fact will _always_ be true." _He said in a tone that exuded disgust before turning and leaving the rose garden through the far entrance.

_Edward_ did not watch him go. Instead he stayed staring into the rose bed, rubbing his narrow jaw in exasperation. He closed his eyes briefly before looking up at the sky and Bella could see that his eyes were shining with tears of frustration and something that she couldn't identify.

She didn't know why she did it, but Bella found herself moving out from behind the wall, as though wanting to comfort him. He turned at her movement and his expression changed into one of such joy that Bella's heart ached for him as she imagined him reaching for the girl in the locket.

"_Marie, what are you doing here?"_ His voice was achingly happy and he pulled her into his embrace, his lips pressing against her forehead, "_Oh, my love…"_

Bella stood still, her arms by her side. Her brain screamed at her not to hug him back, to give in to this loving embrace. _Edward's_ hands slid up her back, cradling the back of her head as he brought his lips to hers, full of tender sweetness, none of the possessive desire of the night before. Simple, adoring love…

_You are being kissed by a dead man!_ Her subconscious hissed, forcing her awareness of the fact that this man had been deceased for over a century.

Tears pricked at her eyes and she pulled her face away from his, bowing her head so that she couldn't see his face.

"_No, darling, please don't turn away from me…"_ _Edward_ begged her, "_I promised you that we would find a way to be together. I promised. Believe in me, Marie."_

His voice was so sincere that Bella couldn't help a hot tear rolling down her cheek but she felt his grip on her tighten, heard him inhale sharply and she glanced over her shoulder to see Edward Cullen staring wide-eyed, with Sam at his side.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, this can only end well, right? I mean, there's no reason for Edward to be completely freaked out or anything…**

**www(d0t)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=37467633 – your illustration for the week. I'm enjoying making these, in case you hadn't guessed!**

**I'm so glad that people are enjoying this story! It's so much fun to write, my stories are usually rather light-hearted. Thank you SO much for the reviews! **

**Come tweet with me, I like to chat and have actually remembered to post teasers this week! I also post teasers at ADF, if you hang out in the forest. See you next weekend!  
><strong>

**Much Love**

**Katie**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Edward and Bella stared at each other for a long moment before Bella glanced back but she knew that _Edward_ had gone.

How much had he seen?

She lifted her hands to her face, roughly wiping the tears away before she looked back at him, but his expression hadn't changed – the look of disbelief and uncertainty remained as he stared at her.

"What the _hell_ was that?" He managed to stutter out the words and Bella wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly very cold and tired. Her head ached and she felt like crying.

"What do you think it was?" She said softly and he shook his head, looking behind him before back to her. Sam whimpered, stepping tentatively towards Bella, pushing his head against her hip. She stroked his head gently before walking towards the entrance of the garden, her arms still wrapped around herself. Edward stepped aside, staring at her but she didn't look at him, too tired to pay attention.

He didn't move as she passed him. Bella carried on walking, Sam at her side, as she crunched through the gravel. Who had _Aro_ been? Why was he appearing now? What had that argument been about?

She had barely rounded the corner of the house before she heard footsteps pounding behind her and Edward appeared beside her, walking swiftly to keep up with her.

"Hang on a moment, Isabella-"

"Bella." She corrected him shortly and he huffed a little, tugging his slightly-too-long hair.

"Fine. _Bella_. Can you stand still for a moment?"

Bella came to a stop, a few feet from the driveway and turned to face him irritably.

"Yes, Mr Cullen?" She said sharply and her breath caught as he stared at her, so alarmingly like _Edward_.

"My name is Edward." He muttered and she swallowed nervously.

"I'm well aware."

"What was that?" He gestured back to the garden and Bella closed her eyes, shaking her head.

"I think you already know."

"That man… he looked like… and he was dressed…" Edward fell silent, watching Bella and she sighed heavily, shaking her head again.

"I don't have answers."

She turned but didn't walk away, staring towards the maze. Neither of them spoke for a few moments, golden light shedding across them as the sun began its descent behind the trees. Bella looked back at Edward, slightly taken aback by the way that the pale orange light both highlighted and shadowed the structure of his face.

"Since I came here a month ago, I have been seeing that man. He appears in my room at night, I've seen him having conversations with people in the maze and now the garden. He leaves me flowers. He wears clothes that were in fashion over a century ago and according to the painting of him that is hanging in the library of Cullen Hall, he died around one hundred and thirty years ago."

Bella was pleased at how calmly she spoke, as though it were as matter of fact as the weather. Edward gaped at her and Bella shrugged, exhaustion seeping into her bones.

"His name is Edward Cullen too. I'm guessing you're related, but I don't want to think about it. I am _tired_. So please… just say something."

Edward swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. Then he shook his head.

"This is ridiculous." His voice was hoarse and Bella felt her lips curl in anger at the look he gave her, one of uncertainty and what looked like pity.

"Fine." She spat and he huffed loudly.

"What do you expect me to say? This _is_ ridiculous! You can't be saying what I think you're saying!" Edward said crossly and Bella fought the urge to stamp her foot childishly.

"You know what you saw!"

"I didn't…" He paused and then closed his eyes, giving an angry sigh through his nose, "I didn't see anything. It was a trick of the light. Or something."

Bella stared at him, fury bubbling in her chest. But she would not show emotion in front of this man, so angry with him, simply for being related to the spectre, for merely daring to look like him.

"Fine. _Fine!_ Sam, come on!" She hissed and Sam jumped obediently to her side as she turned and stormed across the lawn.

Edward Cullen watched her go, tugging on his hair in agitation.

* * *

><p>Once Sam had settled in front of the empty fireplace, Bella began to scrub at the dirty dishes in the sink. Her porridge bowl had sat too long and she scratched at the dried oats, her hair falling into her face. Her fingers pruned and she swore as she snapped a fingernail, drying her hand on the dishtowel and examining the torn nail. After filing it down, she threw herself into the comfy chair near the fire, rubbing her forehead. Sam looked at her blearily before going back to sleep.<p>

How _dare_ he?

Edward Cullen had no idea what she had been through – he hadn't been the one to wake in the night, finding a ghost touching her, seducing her. He hadn't crashed his car when he'd tried to escape.

He had _seen_ the ghost of _Edward_ in the garden and then lied about it, called her ridiculous.

Bella ground her teeth, glaring at the floor.

Bastard!

For the briefest moment, she had thought that she'd had an ally. And not one like Jacob, who seemed so determined to find a rational explanation, when there wasn't one. No, she thought that Edward would be one who would accept what he'd seen and _help_ her.

She'd been so eager to escape London, to find some peace, and now Bella wished for nothing more than to be back in her cramped flat, just a few streets from St James' Park, where ghost belonged in books and there was no one called Edward in her life.

But she couldn't leave.

There was a knock at the back door and Bella turned to glare at it. She had never felt less like entertaining company but she crawled off the sofa and wrenched the door open, ready to tell them where to go. But she stopped abruptly, straightening up.

Edward stared down at her, his hair even more tousled and his jaw set stubbornly. Their eyes met and Bella blinked.

"What do you-"

"I'm sorry." He interrupted her, his green eyes fixed on hers. Bella was taken aback and blinked at him in confusion. She stepped back and he entered, tugging at his hair. Sam scrambled to his feet, wagging his tail happily at the sight of him. Edward sank into the comfy chair, Sam's head pushing into his lap for attention as Bella closed the door.

"What are you doing here, Edward?" Bella asked and he sighed, hand absently rubbing at Sam's fur.

"I know what I saw." He said, his voice rough, "I saw… what, a ghost? I saw him and I want you to know that I believe you. And that I want to help you."

Bella stared at him, one hand still on the door. He stared back at her.

She let her hand fall to her side, her anger vanishing as though it had dissolved under his clear green gaze.

"Oh." She murmured inadequately. He tugged on his hair again, dropping his gaze to Sam's wriggling body.

The more Bella watched him, the more she realised that Edward Cullen was nothing like _Edward Cullen._ _Edward_ was refined and full of something dangerous, coiled like a spring inside him, or a wild cat, constantly waiting to pounce, his desperation etched into every part of him. He was ethereal and beautiful and so intense that it made her heart ache.

Edward Cullen was decidedly human. From his wide, square jaw to his crystal green eyes, he was human. That jaw was covered in faint stubble and she saw faint red lines across his chin where he'd scratched it. Those eyes were set above faint purple bags, typical of someone who had spent the last couple of days travelling. His elbows rested on slightly worn jeans, now with a faint covering of black dog hairs on the knees. His hands, still scratching at Sam's scalp, were large, with short fingernails. But the way that he looked at her made Bella feel so unsure of herself that she wondered if the genes hadn't passed down more directly than she was comfortable with.

They were silent for a long time.

"What does he do?" Edward asked eventually and Bella glanced up, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't have any experience with ghosts. What does he do?" He repeated the question normally enough but his eyebrows pulled together as Bella flushed.

"Um… well, he thinks…" She swallowed, looking down at the floor, "He thinks that I'm someone else. Someone that he… loved, I guess."

"Oh. _Oh_." Suddenly Edward understood that flush. His hand wound into his hair, pulling at it. "So, when you said that he appears in your room-"

"Yes." Bella said shortly, sinking onto the sofa.

Another long silence.

Edward cleared his throat and Bella risked a glance at him. He cleared his throat again and patted his hand nervously against his knee. Sam poked his nose at it.

"So… what are we going to do?"

"We?" Bella said again, feeling rather stupid.

"I want to help you." Edward said, as though it were obvious. Bella blinked, frowning a little as he edged forward on his seat. Sam gave up his hunt for attention and returned to his spot in front of the hearth, clearly sulking.

"Why?" Bella asked, bemused and Edward's eyebrows shot up.

"I saw a ghost. You're being haunted. I can't exactly ignore that. No one could."

Bella looked down at her hands again.

"I don't know to do. I tried to leave last night."

"But you crashed in the rain?"

"I crashed because he appeared in the road, telling me to stop." Bella's voice was hollow and Edward looked down at her hands, twisting and clenched in her lap.

"Oh, right." He cleared his throat again, obviously a nervous habit.

After yet another long moment, Edward found his voice again.

"Well, it's too late to do anything tonight. Why don't you come up to the house tomorrow and we'll try to find out some more about _Edward Cullen_? There are probably records of him in the library, my Dad will know."

"OK." Bella said, standing as Edward got to his feet.

"I'll let myself out. See you in the morning." She nodded politely, slightly stunned by the whole situation and Edward's eagerness to assist.

She stood awkwardly by the sofa as he went to the front door, offering a brief smile over his shoulder as he opened it, but he paused, bending down.

"Oh… is this yours?" He asked and turned.

In his hand was a yellow carnation, bright scarlet flooding the tip of each petal.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Uh, yeah, Edward, I think that's hers… I know, not a huge amount going on in this chapter but I can guarantee that Chapter 14 is gonna please you. It may even post early, depending on how much writing I get done today!**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=37690750 – please let me know if these links aren't working, somebody had trouble accessing it last week! **

**A red carnation symbolizes ****love, pride and admiration. ****A yellow carnation symbolizes disdain, rejection or disappointment. A striped carnation conveys refusal.**

**So… have you chosen your favourite? **_**Edward**_** or Edward? Ghostward or Mildly Awkward Britishward? **

**Love you, love the reviews, love you even more than that first time I said it. I'm hoping we can break the 200 reviews barrier this chapter! And remember to tell all your friends about Cullen Hall - Your holiday destination for 2011! **

**Much Love**

**Katie**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

After breakfast and a run the next morning, Bella walked swiftly across the lawn to Cullen Hall. The weather had turned grey and overcast and Bella had pulled on a warm cardigan before setting off. She hadn't been disturbed the previous night, but the image of that carnation, sitting in the vase beside the other flowers, had been more than enough to prevent deep sleep.

She entered by the kitchen door, through the herb garden, as Edward had told her to. Sure enough, he was sat at the table, newspaper in front of him, tapping a biro against the crossword. His small wire glasses were perched on his nose again as he turned his gaze from the puzzle to her, a rapidly cooling cup of coffee at his elbow, next to a plate of half-eaten toast.

"Good morning." He said warmly.

"Morning." Bella murmured, pushing her hands into her jeans pockets.

"How did you sleep?" The question was slightly loaded but Bella shook her head.

"Fine. Nothing… I slept fine."

"Good. Eight letter word, begins with an s, _Shadowy or foreboding_." He read the clue aloud. Bella watched as he tapped the pen against the paper again before sighing softly.

"Sinister."

"…So it is." He scratched the letters in and Bella looked around sharply as the door leading into the rest of the house opened.

Rosalie appeared, clutching a plate and a mug. She stopped short at the sight of Bella and then looked at Edward. He smiled calmly whilst Bella averted her gaze, as though to give Rosalie some privacy.

"Feeling better?"

"A little." She said quietly, going to the sink and putting the dirty plate in there. Edward watched her for a moment, frowning slightly. Bella noticed that she was wincing, her hand pressed against her lower right abdomen.

"Have you taken your medication, Rose?" Edward asked gently and Bella jumped as Rose slammed the mug down into the sink, glaring at him before she stalked from the room.

Edward winced slightly as the door slammed behind her.

"Sorry about that. She's had some health problems recently.

"I know. I mean…" She quailed slightly under Edward's piercing gaze, "Jacob, the gardener, mentioned it…"

"From the mouth of Shelley Cope, I imagine. That woman could gossip for Britain." He said dryly and Bella bit her lip, looking at her feet.

"She's in pain?"

"She haemorrhaged badly. They don't think she can have… any more." Edward cleared his throat, clearly wondering if he'd said too much, "She's very private. That's why she's not been exactly welcoming; she just needs some time to recover."

"You can't put a time limit on that." Bella said hoarsely and Edward saw her eyes tear slightly as she kept her stare on her feet. She didn't seem to notice that her own hand had gone to her stomach, as though she had forgotten that it was flat and not swelling with life.

Edward didn't say anything. Instead he went to the door and gestured. Bella followed him.

* * *

><p>Their footsteps echoed down the hallway as she followed Edward towards the library. Her heart sank as she approached the room, not wanting to be under the gaze of that painting again. However, Edward didn't seem to notice her reluctance and rapped his knuckles against the door. A voice called for them to enter and Bella saw Carlisle standing by the desk, flicking through a folder. He smiled warmly, putting down the folder beside a dozen others scattered across the antique desk.<p>

"Hello Bella. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you." Bella returned the smile and her eyes slid to the portrait hanging over the mantelpiece.

Edward and Carlisle followed her gaze and Carlisle gave a soft laugh.

"Striking resemblance, isn't it? You can see that he and our Edward are related, although Edward has his mother's eyes."

"There are definitely differences." Bella murmured and Edward's eyebrows lifted slightly before he turned to his father.

"Bella's reached a block with her writing and was hoping that hearing a little history about the house might get the ball rolling. You know more than I do…"

"Of course, anything you wish to know." Carlisle offered generously and Bella tore her eyes from the painting of _Edward_ to look at him.

"Well… who was he? _Edward Cullen_?" She asked as casually as she could. Carlisle moved towards a bookcase, gesturing to a pair of seats. She and Edward both sat.

"That _Edward_ is my great, great granduncle. He was the son of Caius and Jane Cullen."

He turned and opened a large book, handing it to Bella. It was so heavy that she had to use both hands and rest it on her lap. The yellowed pages showed an ornately drawn family tree and Bella's eyes went to the name _Edward Cullen_. He was on the same line as _Marcus Cullen_, who was joined by a marriage line to _Didyme Afton_.

_Edward_'s line was not joined. Bella's eyes raked the page, but there was no sign of _Marie Tanner_.

"He never married. But he looks so much like you. I thought you'd be directly related." She murmured to Edward, touching the dates under his name. Edward leaned against the arm of her chair, the warm fabric of his shirt brushing against her bare arm.

"His brother, _Marcus_, is my great, great grandfather." Carlisle explained and Bella thought back to the man in the maze, so in love, so delighted with his American bride. No surprise there that they had had children, but still… this revelation had thrown her slightly, she had assumed that Edward was a direct descendant of _Edward_. Edward looked at his father.

"How did he die? He was very young."

"Well, that's quite the story." Carlisle said, leaning against the desk and folding his arms loosely, "He's something of a black mark in the Cullen family history. Nothing to think of now, but scandalous at the time."

"What happened?" A deep sense of foreboding brewed in Bella's stomach as she lifted her face to look at Carlisle. He smiled sadly.

"According to the official historical documents, he died young in an accident."

Bella shuddered, tightening her hands into fists. _Edward… _ Her_ Edward_… She knew that he had died young, but still… hearing it as an official declaration hurt her heart.

Edward was more on task.

"Why do you say that was the official stance? Was there another reason?" He asked and Carlisle spread his hands, shrugging slightly.

"Jasper did some research into the family history a few years ago… Jasper is Alice's fiancé," He said aside to Bella, "He's a professor of History at the University of London. Anyway, he found some letters that were written by Jane Cullen to her sister, Chelsea. They suggested that _Edward_ had died another way."

Bella looked back down at the family tree, her fingers tightening on the cover as Carlisle's words pierced her heart.

"She wrote that _Edward _had committed suicide."

She closed her eyes, squeezing them shut as nausea rolled over her. Her breath left her in a shuddering gasp and felt Edward's gaze on her. His hand brushed against hers as he pretended to look more closely at the family tree.

"Do you know why?" He asked and Carlisle shrugged again.

"From what Jasper could gather, there was some kind of family disagreement. _Edward_ was expected to fulfil certain roles and didn't want to, for some reason. It was never written down so those reasons would have been lost. His suicide was covered up to prevent family disgrace."

"What happened to _Marcus_ and _Didyme_?" Edward asked.

"They went to America. _Didyme_'s father was very wealthy in land in Illinois and ran multiple businesses. With no male heir, he invited _Marcus_ to take the role once he'd married _Didyme_."

"So _Edward_ had no choice but to become the heir of Cullen Hall." Edward sighed.

"He wanted his own life." Bella said softly.

_**If it meant that I would be free to live my life as I saw fit, then I would burn this place to the ground myself!**_

_Edward's_ impassioned words played through Bella's mind and she curled her fingers into a fist. Edward noticed and stood, drawing his father's attention.

"I should have taken an interest in this sooner. I know so little about our family history."

"Well, any in-depth information you want would be better coming from Jasper, to be honest." Carlisle laughed gently, "Would you both excuse me? I'm expecting a call from the hospital about that grant they want us to fund."

He disappeared from the room and Bella got to her feet, placing the book open on the desk. She looked up at Edward as he moved to stand beside her and shook her head slowly.

"He didn't kill himself. He didn't." She insisted vehemently.

"No, it didn't strike me as likely, from what you've said." Edward agreed, looking down at the family tree. Bella touched _Edward_'s name again.

"What happened to Marie? Why isn't her name here?" She mused and Edward clucked his tongue as she traced her finger down the names. They were clearest near the bottom of the page.

_Marcus and Didyme… Alistair and Mary… Garrett and Katherine… Liam and Siobhan… Carlisle and Esme…_ The names of the couples descended the page to the three children listed at the bottom – _Edward, Emmett and Alice._

Another name caught Bella's attention, above _Marcus_ and _Edward's_. Joined by sibling lines to their father, _Caius_, was the name _Aro._

"That's the man that _Edward_ was arguing with in the rose garden." Bella said quickly, tapping his name, "He was telling _Edward_ that he had to do his duty to Cullen Hall."

Her mind was buzzing with this new information and Edward seemed to notice her twitching because he closed the book and gestured to the door.

"Let's get outside. I think some fresh air would do us good."

* * *

><p>Walking side by side across the lawn, Bella felt able to breathe again. Edward strolled calmly by her side, although when she'd glanced at him, he'd been running his hand through his hair, brow lined in thought.<p>

The sun shine brightly and the glare bounced from the lake into Bella's eyes and she stopped in her tracks, staring at the calm surface. Edward paused beside her and his hand brushed against her arm in a would-be comforting gesture.

Bella looked up at him again, feeling a lump in his throat.

"Something bad happened here, Edward." She whispered, "He couldn't have killed himself. He _couldn't_. Not with Marie waiting for him, he couldn't have left her. He promised that he would find a way for them to be together."

Edward gazed down at her before slipping his fingers around hers and squeezing lightly before releasing her hand.

"I believe you. I think we need to talk to Jasper."

"What for?" Bella asked and he sighed.

"We need to find out what happened to Marie."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello darlings. A teensy bit more explanation for you here, including some info on Rosalie. **

**In case you didn't know – suicide in **_**Edward's**_** time would have beyond shocking. Not only would it have shamed his family, he would not have permitted a Christian burial in church, preventing him from entering heaven. He would have been buried without ceremony and not in a churchyard or crypt. Hence the cover up by the family. **

**www(d0t)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=37960765 – your illustrations for the week!**

**See you next weekend! **

**Much Love**

**Katie**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Bell and Edward walked back to the cottage in silence, both lost in thought. Bella was still thinking about _Edward_, poor _Edward_ who had loved Marie and had been black marked in the Cullen family. She was so sure that he couldn't have killed himself. He was too desperate to live, to be with Marie. How could he have taken himself from her?

But maybe… what if Marie had died? Could that have forced his hand?

Bella stopped abruptly. Was that why _Edward _kept appearing to her? Was he still looking for Marie and thought that he'd found her?

"Bella?" She looked up sharply to see Edward watching her, a few paces away. They were at the cottage and Bella swallowed. Edward frowned, turning to face her properly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, I think so. I just need answers."

"I'll go back and see if I can find anything in the house records. I'm not sure how far they go back." Edward said, fingers dragging against his jaw. Bella nodded.

"OK. I need to write everything down, try and get my thoughts in order."

"That's a good idea. Do you have a mobile phone?" She handed it to him and he entered his number before texting, so that he had hers, "I'll give you a call if I find anything. You call me if anything happens… tonight."

"Thank you." Bella murmured, taking back her phone and Edward shrugged.

"It's fine. I mean, you shouldn't have to deal-"

He stopped, because Bella had leaned forward, wrapping her fingers around his hand.

"No. _Thank you._" She said again, forcefully, "I don't… I'm glad that you're here, OK? I wouldn't have been able to find out the things that I know now without your help. So thank you."

Edward looked at her again, seeing for the first time her true expression. Quiet, exhausted determination etched into her dark eyes and pale skin, her grip on his hand firm and slightly desperate. She was small, thin, but full of power and he was slightly awed by her strength. He was sure that others would have given in to the fear by now, but she was still standing.

And now he would stand beside her.

* * *

><p>Bella went back to her cottage for the rest of the day and Edward returned to Cullen Hall. Rosalie and Emmett were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Edward stopped in the doorway to watch their strange choreography, practised for more than five years. Whatever Rosalie needed, food or utensil, Emmett passed without her asking. If Emmett reached for something, Rosalie had it to hand.<p>

Rosalie moved to place a casserole dish in the oven and Emmett's hand traced down her back. She straightened and turned, leaning into him as his lips brushed over her forehead. Rosalie's eyes caught Edward's and she offered a faint smile.

"What are we having?" Edward asked, moving towards the kitchen table. Emmett released his wife and she sat at the table.

"Chicken chasseur, new potatoes and fresh veg. Emmett went down to the greengrocers in the village."

"The old lady in there is in love with me. Gave me a great deal on asparagus." Emmett winked and Edward smiled, sitting opposite Rosalie as she sipped a glass of water.

"How was your day? Did your new friend enjoy the house?" Rosalie asked dryly and Edward gave her a flat look.

"She's not interested in interfering with our business, Rose. She's just a writer looking for some inspiration."

"I can understand Rose's point, Edward." His brother said, "We came here to be alone as a family. It might be better if Bella wasn't hanging around all the time."

"She won't be. She's got deadlines, she won't be _hanging around_." Edward assured him but Emmett was looking at him curiously.

Edward shook his head.

"Bella is just an interesting person that I've enjoyed talking to." He said firmly and Emmett smiled.

"Alright then." He paused, "Alice is going to be delighted."

"Rose, control your husband."

"Emmett, put the potatoes on the boil." Rosalie ordered and Edward smiled at her.

He wasn't sure why he was defending Bella, apart from the fact that he knew she wouldn't want to interfere with the family. But even as he listened to Rosalie muse about what to serve for dessert, Edward's mind wandered to earlier that day. To the woman sat alone in the cottage, waiting for a dead man to come to her.

Why was he helping her? That was the real question but Edward didn't know if anyone could see what he had seen and _not_ offer to help. When he had followed Sam to the rose garden and seen Bella Swan trapped in the arms of a man who could have been his reflection if not for the clothes he was wearing, Edward hadn't even know what to think. His initial denial… well, he'd spoken without thinking. Logic had forced his hand, told him firmly that he _hadn't_ seen what he'd seen.

It had been Bella's desperate anger and frustration that had made him change his mind, made him want to help. But even so…

Edward didn't know what to believe in.

* * *

><p>After dinner, Edward excused himself from the family and made his way upstairs. Carlisle had mused that there may have been some official records of the house in one of the unused rooms that stored boxes and furniture. On the top floor of the house, Edward walked along a dusty carpet, the particles swirling around his feet.<p>

These rooms had been servant quarters in the days that Cullen Hall had such things. There were six rooms, three on each side. Four were locked and two had piles of boxes and furniture covered in dust sheets. The lights up here were on a separate switchboard and they hadn't bothered to turn them on as no one came up here, so Edward only had a short while before it would become too dark to see what he was doing.

After finding nothing in the first room, Edward moved to the second, scratching at his itching nose. His eyes were sore and he took his glasses off, rubbing them. He was tired by now and he opened another box, wanting nothing more than to go downstairs, drink a cup of tea and settle in a comfy chair.

The light was nearly gone, orange streaks crossing the room through the small windows as the sun started to hide. Edward scanned over a page in a large leather book, listing the tenants that had once lived on Cullen Hall's extensive land but there was nothing helpful there. He saw no sign of the name _Marie Tanner_ so he closed the book and slid it back into the box, kneeling on the dusty floor.

A soft gasp made him look up and he froze.

A young woman was standing in the doorway. She was wearing a long black dress with a pristine white apron, a white cap clutched in her hand. She had curling brown hair tied back into a bun, tendrils escaping to frame her face. Her flustered expression made her small, pale face look young, despite the pretty brown eyes.

For an odd moment, Edward thought that he was looking at Bella but no… this woman's eyes weren't as large as Bella's, her mouth a little smaller, but the resemblance was uncanny.

"_What are you doing up here?_" She whispered hesitantly, her hands twisting the cap in front of her as she gazed at him. Edward straightened and she stepped towards him, but he didn't dare speak.

"_Oh Edward, this isn't safe… you know what will happen! They'll send me away._" Her voice was pleading but he saw her resolve crumbling even as she spoke. Her eyes were full of love and adoration as she moved closer, standing within arm's reach. Edward looked down at her and she smiled weakly.

"_I cannot stand to be parted from you but… Edward, please don't risk this again. To find out about us would be bad enough, but if they found out about... I couldn't bear to be sent from the Hall if-"_

She gasped and turned quickly, looking at the door. Her hands lifted to her throat.

"_Someone's coming!_" She turned to look up at him again and moved towards him, brushing her lips gently against his cheek before darting to the door, pulling her hat over her hair as she disappeared through the door.

Edward ran after her but as he turned into the corridor, he saw that it was empty as the last sunlight vanished, leaving him standing in darkness.

* * *

><p>Bella was serving herself a bowl of chilli con carne when there was a hammering at the door. She looked around in surprise before putting the ladle down and going to the kitchen door.<p>

Edward leant against the doorframe, looking as though he had run all the way from the house, his breath coming in laboured gasps. Bella frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"I saw her." He panted, "Bella, I saw _Marie_."

She stared at him. He stared back and she stood away from the door, allowing him to enter. He sank into a chair at the table and she poured him a glass of water. He drank half of it in one go and looked up at her as she leaned against the kitchen surface.

"I was up in the servants rooms, looking through some old records. She was there. She called me Edward and she… she was talking about someone finding out and that if they were found, then she'd be sent away."

"The servant's quarters?" Bella repeated, frowning slightly. Edward drained the rest of the water and nodded, wiping the moisture from his mouth.

"Yes. She was wearing a servant's uniform. She was a maid in the house, Bella."

"That's why they couldn't be together." Realisation dawned and they looked at each other in understanding. Edward heaved a deep breath, still recovering from his run.

"An entitled member of society having an affair with a servant."

"It wasn't allowed?"

"It would have exiled them both. _Edward_ could have lost his title and inheritance. _Marie_ would have been shamed; she'd never have found work or been able to marry, her reputation would have been destroyed."

Bella reached into her pocket, finding the silver locket. She moved to sit beside Edward at the table, her knee brushing against his.

"I found this a little while after I came here." She said quietly, "It was by the lake. I didn't open it until the other day when you gave it back to me."

She watched as Edward opened the locket, his eyes widening as he saw the photograph of the young woman he had just seen in Cullen Hall.

"There was so much at risk." She said quietly and Edward looked at her sharply, as though remembering something.

"I think there might have been something else."

"What do you mean?"

"Something _Marie_ said… something about how it would be bad enough for someone to find out about them but that if they found out…"

"Found out what?" Bella leaned forward but Edward shook his head.

"She didn't say. She heard someone coming and left."

Bella took the locket back, closing it and setting it on the table. Edward rubbed his chin, looking at her thoughtful expression. Her dark hair fell around her face, as she gazed at the locket, her dark eyes thoughtful and she turned to look at him. He was slightly taken aback by her expression, determined and full of some emotional like sorrow.

"We have to find out what happened to them, Edward. We have to find _Edward_ and _Marie_ and we have to help them find each other."

"Alright."

Edward hadn't been sure if he believed in ghosts. He still didn't know what to believe on that front.

But he was fairly certain that he believed in Bella.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hello darlings! Yes, a mid week update because I've been writing like a busy little bee and have almost finished the story!**

**I've also updated to tell you all about some exciting news that I had. Cullen Hall has been nominated for Fic of the Week at **_**Teh Lemonade Stand**_** (and yes, it is spelt teh). I've NEVER been nominated for something like that as a Twilight writer! I don't expect to win, of course, but you can vote at:**

**http : / / tehlemonadestand(dot) blogspot(dot) com/**

**Please do – I'd appreciate it ever so much!**

**www(dot) polyvore(dot) com/cgi/set?id=38135073 – visuals!**

**See you Saturday! Remember to vote and/or leave a review!**

**Much Love**

**Katie**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Bella was relieved that Edward was now on her side, due to the fact that he had access to resources that Bella would never have thought to consult. For example, the birth and death records at the local church.

There was no mass taking place, so Bella and Edward waited in the entrance to the tiny stone church as they waited for the priest to return with the records of the parish.

"We're lucky. In the more modern parishes, we'd have to go through the council to access these. Luckily for us, Father Quil is a traditionalist." Edward murmured. Bella looked down the aisle towards the altar. Edward had told her that all of the Cullen family had married, been baptised and had funerals in this church, therefore all of the records were kept. So much history in one place – could they find answers here?

"Thank you for waiting, Mr Cullen." The elderly priest mumbled as they turned. He was carrying a large folder and Edward smiled, taking it.

"Thank you, Father Quil."

"There's a table in the presbytery. I need to make some visits, if you wouldn't mind locking the door behind you." Father Quil gestured to the little house near the church.

Once they were sat down in the hideously decorated sitting room, Bella and Edward opened the book, reading the ancient, curling writing that detailed the lives and deaths of every person to pass through the church. Unfamiliar names were listed, pages of them. Bella's eyes started to blur slightly and she was glad when Edward finally hummed in pleasure.

"Here he is. _Edward Cullen… died June 20__th__ 1874… drowned in Cullen Lake._"

Bella's heart skipped a beat and she clenched her hands into fists.

"The lake? He drowned in the lake?" She whispered and a shiver ran down her spine. Edward looked at her.

"Are you alright?"

"He drowned." She muttered, "How many times have we been near that lake? Why was he even in the lake?"

Edward was silent.

"He didn't kill himself." Bella said stubbornly and Edward turned back to the page.

"I don't see _Marie_ on here at all."

"Neither did I." Bella admitted and stood, walking to the window and staring out at the churchyard. Edward shook his head.

"There's no one here by the name of _Tanner_. Let's head back. I'll email Jasper and see if he could track down anything about her."

"That's a good idea." Bella whispered, looking along the line of gravestones and wondering if _Edward_ was amongst them once again.

* * *

><p><strong>To: J. Hale<br>**

**From: Edward Cullen**

**RE: Favour?**

**Hi Jasper,**

**I'm doing some research into the house with our lodger, Bella. We were hoping to find out some information about a servant who worked at the house. All we know is that her name was **_**Marie Tanner**_** and she was working at the house sometime between 1870 and 1874. **

**Thanks in advance. Love to Alice. When are you coming up? **

**Edward**

Edward looked up, wanting to ask Bella if she could think of anything else to add to the letter, but she was stood at the back door where she'd just let Sam out and was staring. Edward didn't have to look to see what had caught her eye.

She was looking at the lake. Maybe she was unaware that her hand was clenched at her throat, her breathing a little uneven.

"Bella?" Edward said quietly and she turned, catching his eye. She shook her head and went to the kettle.

Edward pushed the laptop away and looked up as Bella placed a cup of tea in front of him. A long strand of dark hair hung down from her ponytail and he unconsciously reached up and tucked it behind her ear.

Bella froze and her eyes caught his. Edward felt the blood rush to his face and he picked up his cup.

"Thanks." He mumbled and Bella bit her lip, sitting down at the table with him.

"It's fine." She said softly, warming her hands against the cup. Edward watched her hands, noting that there was no line where her wedding ring had once been.

"How long were you married for?" He asked quietly and she sighed gently.

"We were together for six years."

"That's a long time."

"Yes."

He hesitated.

"Why did you get divorced?"

"It's cliché, but we just grew apart. We weren't the best couple anyway." She sipped her tea, "We lost a child and it was when I realised that I had loved that unborn child a thousand times more than I ever loved him that I realised it was over."

"I'm sorry." Edward said quietly. Bella shook her head, her eyes fixed on the table.

"I try to think that everything happens for a reason. I hated hearing it back then, but now I'm here."

"You think that you're here to find out what happened to _Edward_?"

"He appeared to me. I mean, he's been waiting for someone to help him, I think." Bella didn't know how to explain it. Edward stared at her for a moment.

"But… you can't save him. He's already dead, Bella."

"I know. But if we can find out what happened to him, what _really_ happened, maybe he'll stop coming to me." Bella replied vehemently, "It can't really be a coincidence that I came here and I just _happen_ to look like _Marie_, can it? Or that she came to you when you look so much like _Edward_."

Edward didn't know what to say. He considered himself to be a fairly logical man. Who know believed in ghosts. And _Marie _had appeared to him, hadn't she? Could he view that with logic?

Bella was staring down at her cup with a brooding expression and Edward tapped her fingers with his.

"Let's assume that we are here to help _Edward_ and _Marie_… how will we know what to do?" He asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe once Jasper replies we'll find a clue. Or maybe the next time he appears I can try and find out…" She fell silent, a shiver running down her spine at the thought of engaging in conversation with _Edward_.

Edward drained his cup of tea and stood.

"I'd better get back. It's getting dark."

"Alright… call me if you see… _her_?" Bella asked and he nodded. She walked him to the front door and he paused, stopping to look down at her. Bella folded her arms across her chest, looking at her feet and Edward tapped his fingers nervously against his leg. His head jerked uncertainly and she looked up quickly but he seemed to have lost his earlier confidence and offered a faint smile before slipping out of the front door.

* * *

><p>Sam sniffed around casually as Bella walked the path by the lake, the one that she'd run the day she'd found the locket. As she looked at the smooth surface of the lake, she shuddered. <em>Edward<em> had died here. Somewhere, somehow, he had entered this lake and died.

It seemed more real, somehow, to know the sight of his demise.

Bella looked over her shoulder for Sam and saw him trotting away, back towards the house. She took a deep breath of cool night air, standing alone by the edge of the lake. The air felt clean against her skin, making her feel calm. She closed her eyes, absorbing the peace of the night and when she opened them, she was not alone.

Kneeling by the edge of the lake, his head in his hands, was a man and for a moment, Bella was confused as to whether it was _Edward_ or Edward.

She stepped forward and he lifted his head and Bella's heart panged at the sorrow in his face. Tears filled his dark eyes and they widened at the sight of her, but he did not get to his feet. Bella hesitated a few feet away and he shook his head.

"_I've failed you, Marie._" He whispered hoarsely and Bella's heart sped up. She swallowed hard, taking another step towards the kneeling man.

"How? How have you failed?" She asked softly and he shook his head again.

"_It's all over. What can we do now?_"

"I don't understand… _Edward_." It was the first time that she'd said his name and he looked up, his damp eyes meeting hers. He rose, drawing her near and Bella closed her eyes as his arms encased her tightly.

"_I've failed you._" He said again, "_I've failed you both_."

Bella opened her eyes, looking up at him in confusion. He stared down at him and she opened her mouth to ask him what he meant, but he looked up sharply, glancing over her shoulder and his eyes widened in horror.

"_Run away, Marie!"_ He gave a strangled gasp, his hand gripping her arm tightly.

Bella span around but saw nothing and when she looked behind her, she was alone once again.

She started her walk back to the house, her mind buzzing. Had she just witnessed _Edward's_ final moments on earth? What had been behind her?

She reached the kitchen door to the cottage and found Sam sitting patiently, waiting for her. Bella opened the door and went on, not noticing that Sam was staring pointedly in the direction of the lake. His eyes darted from side to side, as though watching a conversation between invisible people before he curled his lip, giving a low snarl and walking into the house to protect his owner.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Oh, no waaay… oh, the drama! Hope you enjoyed it! Thank you SO much for the reviews, they have made me a very happy lady. **

**Updates next week – unsure as it's my first parents evening on Wednesday and Thursday, so I will be ridiculously busy and unnerved. I will try to post midweek but if it doesn't happen, I apologise and will post next Saturday as normal. If you follow me on twitter, there will be updates on that situation. I'm Kat097 on twitter too.**

**www(DOT)polyvore(DOT)com/cgi/set?id=38234568 – your visuals! That's ghostward in the bottom right hand corner. Luckily for me, Rob looks distraught a lot of the time…**

**Leave a review on the way out! **

**Much Love**

**Katie**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

"How did he fail?" Edward asked as Bella poured them both tea the next evening. She shook her head.

"I don't know… did he mean that he couldn't find a way for them to be together? But what did _both _mean? Who else did he fail? I feel like we're missing a bit piece of the puzzle here."

Edward stirred a spoonful of sugar into his tea, reaching for a piece of leftover toast from Bella's dinner of cheese on toast. It was cold, but that didn't stop him from chewing on it thoughtfully. Bella rolled her eyes and got up to put a fresh slice of bread in the toaster.

"I wonder who he saw behind me." She mused aloud as she took the butter out of the fridge, placing it on the table with the marmalade.

"I'm not sure. Someone who he didn't want to see him with _Marie_?"

"It was more than that kind of fear, Edward." Bella stopped, looking over at him from her place by the toaster, "He was terrified. Like his whole world had crashed down around him."

The toaster beeped and Bella placed the fresh piece of toast on a plate, setting it down in front of Edward, who coated it liberally with butter and marmalade as Bella sat down with her tea.

"Do you want to see if Jasper's emailed back?" She asked, opening her laptop. Edward nodded, chewing as he entered his email account. He gestured to the screen as he wiped his mouth and Bella moved around to stand behind him, leaning down over Edward's shoulder to read the reply.

**To: Edward Cullen**

**From: **

**Re: Re: Favour?**

**Hi Edward,**

**Good to hear from you. Alice and I are both well. We'll both be coming up in a few days, we need a break as it's the end of the semester. She finally finished her project, the one with the French designer (or was it Italian? Must start listening!)**

**Marie Tanner – I didn't have time to get a lot together. I'll hopefully be able to bring some more information with me when I come up, but I did find this:**

**Marie Tanner was a servant at Cullen Hall, arriving early in 1872. She left in July 1873, accompanying Marcus and Didyme Cullen to America, as a ladies maid and then a nurse after the birth of their son Alistair. She wasn't from the parish, so no joy there, but I'll see what else I can dig up. Hope this helps Bella – Alice and I are looking forward to meeting her.**

**Love to the family.**

**Jasper.**

Edward looked up at Bella to see her staring at the screen, wide-eyed. She glanced down at him, barely noticing how close their faces were as she breathed.

"She didn't die here. _Edward_ died but she didn't."

"He failed… because he couldn't keep her with him. She was sent away."

"With his brother and his wife." Bella finished, standing up. She walked dazedly to the open back door, staring at the lake before turning back to him.

Edward rubbed his jaw, rereading the email.

"They left just days after _Edward_ died." He murmured and then frowned, look up at her, "Did you photocopy that family tree?"

"Yes…" Bella went to the counter and picked up a piece of paper. In bleary grey lines was the family tree that Carlisle had shown them in the library. Edward examined it and then seized a piece of scrap paper, making notes.

"What's wrong?" Bella asked and he scratched his jaw again, nails catching on the slight stubble where he'd failed to shave that morning.

"These dates don't line up, Bella. Look… _Edward_ died on the 20th of June 1873. _Marcus_ and _Didyme_ were married… here, June 29th 1873. Jasper said that in July, they travelled to America, taking _Marie_ with them and according to the family tree their son, _Alistair_, was born in October 1873."

Bella stared at him blankly and Edward tapped the piece of paper.

"By this reckoning, _Didyme_ was six months pregnant when she married _Marcus_."

They were silent and both came to the same conclusion at the same time. Bella lifted a hand to her throat.

"_Marie_…"

"She was pregnant."

"That's why he said he couldn't protect them both. He was talking about _Marie_ and the baby…" Bella whispered and Edward ran his hand through his hair, looking down at the family tree.

"_Edward_… he's my great, great, great grandfather, not my uncle. _Marcus _and _Didyme_ pretended that the baby was theirs."

"_Marcus_ loved _Edward_." Bella said quietly, "From what I heard in the maze… he said that he would refuse _Edward_ nothing in this world."

"_Edward_ had died. _Marie_ was alone… did he know about them? He got _Marie_ away and protected her reputation." Edward said, turning his emerald gaze onto her, "He protected her child from growing up with the stigma of being illegitimate."

Bella hesitated before looking down at the family tree.

"But… how did _Edward_ die? I don't understand… he would have done anything to stay with _Marie_. Why was he so upset when I saw him?"

"What if _Marcus_ already knew? What if that was his way of helping _Edward_? By getting _Marie_ out of harm's way? What would _Aro_ have done if he'd known about her situation?" Edward wondered aloud and Bella sat at the table next to him, running her hands through her hair.

"_Edward_ wouldn't have let her go."

"He didn't have a choice." Edward said quietly, "What if _Marcus_ forced his hand?"

Bella looked at him, suddenly understanding what he was implying. Her hands tightened in fists.

"Are you… are you saying that you think _Edward_ killed himself rather than live without _Marie_?"

"From what you've said, he was incredibly passionate and desperate to escape Cullen Hall. If _Marcus_ turned around and said that he was taking _Marie _away and that _Edward_ had to stay here to look after his heritage… maybe he couldn't see another way out."

"He knew that she was pregnant!" Bella said angrily, "There's no way that he would have killed himself!"

"Bella, you can't know that."

"Why would he be haunting us if he'd killed himself?"

"I don't know… guilt?"

Bella stood up abruptly, her chair shrieking against the floor.

"He _didn't_ commit suicide!" She spat, "He would have gone after her. Something stopped him."

Sam started whimpering by the back door and Edward got to his feet as well, face stormy.

"Bella, be reasonable. He was trapped. He was trapped in a position that he hated, separated from the love of his life and it's entirely possible that he saw no option but to take his own life." He said, an underlying current of anger in his carefully calm tone.

Sam barked and Bella gave him an irritable look, marching to the back door as Sam began to scratch at it.

"Of course he had options." She hissed and Edward breathed heavily through his nose in anger.

"Bella-"

"You don't know him, Edward." Bella said as Sam slipped past her.

"Neither do you."

She looked back at him. His arms were folded across his chest, his green eyes fixed on her.

"I know you think you do, Bella… but really, you don't. All you know is what we've found out. You don't _know_ him. You've only ever met a desperate man, making promises that he couldn't keep."

Anger surged in Bella like a wave and she turned on Edward, ready to tell him exactly what she thought when Sam howled.

They both jolted to a standstill before darting to the backdoor.

* * *

><p>It was too dark to see clearly, in the strange twilight as the sun vanished. Sam howled again and Bella's heart jumped.<p>

"Sam!" They both shouted his name, running in the direction of the lake. As they reached the path, they both came to a halt, not far from where Bella had seen _Edward_ the night before. Sam was running towards them, his ears tucked back as he wound around Bella's legs before darting back in the direction of the cottage.

Bella looked up at Edward, not sure what to say. They were both out of breath, Edward standing with his hands on his hips as he tried to stop panting.

"There's no point in rehashing this. Until we hear from Jasper-"

"_Edward_ did not kill himself. If you'd seen him here…" Bella looked down at the lake edge, steps from where they were standing.

"Bella…"

"No, Edward. Just listen to me. You can't possibly understand, what was happening to him. Neither of us can, but can you at least accept that I've seen him so I know better than you-"

"Bella!"

She looked back at him and froze. Like _Edward_, he was staring over her heard, eyes wide. He reached for her and as his hands brushed against her arm, she turned her head and let out a strangled cry.

Standing less than six feet from them on the dark path, watching with cold, dead eyes was _Aro_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Cue dramatic music!**

**Early update because I've finished my first term as a teacher and its half term holiday! Next update on Monday.**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=38496885 – your visuals! **

**Not much to say – major plot developments coming, only 3 chapters to go! **

**Much love**

**Katie**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Edward pushed Bella behind him and she took a few steps back. _Aro_ tilted his head, a sneer appearing across his waxy face.

"_This is the end of it, Edward_." He hissed, stepping towards Edward, "_This is enough. You have besmirched the Cullen name. You have dragged our heritage into the dirt and I will allow no more._"

"Don't come any closer." Edward said, his voice strong but wary. He stood at an angle, tensed, almost protective in his stance. Bella stepped back again at the crazed anger in _Aro's_ expression.

"Edward, don't…" She whispered, but _Aro_ didn't look at her. His eyes were wide and dangerous.

"_Did you think that I didn't know? About that servant bitch? She'll be next, I promise you that and unlike you, Edward, I keep my promises!" _He spat and Bella fell back, her heart pounding at what he was saying. Edward glanced over his shoulder at her, his arms spread slightly to protect her from the ghost.

In a movement far quicker than either of them could have predicted, _Aro_ had moved forward, swung Edward around so that he was standing with his back to the lake and punched him in the stomach. Edward's hand caught Bella as he went, knocking her to the ground and she lay, winded on the path as the two men fell towards the edge of the lake. _Aro_ drew his hand back and Bella saw that he had not made a fist but was holding a blade, now stained scarlet in the dim light.

Bella gave a loud cry as Edward fell to his knees, clutching his stomach but _Aro_ quickly clasped his hand around Edward's neck, sallow-skinned hands forcing the air from Edward's body. Edward struggled and twisted, his hands wrapped around _Aro_'s wrists, trying to force his fingers away but the ghost was insane in his power, filled with hatred and anger stronger than a mortal man could fight.

Bella felt the blood drain from her face as Edward's face darkened, his eyes sliding shut.

"No! Edward!" She shouted and threw herself forward, scraping her knees on the ground as she stumbled towards the two men._ Aro_ turned his head, shock apparent in his eyes and then he was gone and stillness returned to the lake. Bella half fell again, stunned as she fell into the space that _Aro_ had occupied.

Edward slumped backwards, landing with a splash in the shallows of the lake, gasping loudly.

"Edward…!" Bella scrambled towards him, crouching down beside him. His eyes were closed and Bella could see _Aro's_ fingerprints on his neck. She seized the hem of his shirt, pulling it up, preparing herself for the sight of blood, but there was none. She blinked in confusion.

There was no stab mark at all.

Bella stared and touched the place where _Aro_ had struck, but the skin was whole. The air left her lungs and her head span as she tried to understand what she had seen.

Edward let out a soft groan as she ran her fingers over his smooth stomach and his eyes flickered open.

"What the…?"

"I'm here. Edward, I'm here. Don't worry, I'm here." Bella gasped, seizing his hand and helping him crawl out of the water. He coughed violently, rubbing his hand against the dark marks on his neck and Bella stared at him, her hands trembling against his arm.

That was how it had happened. That was how _Edward_ had died. And if what they had just experienced had happened immediately after what Bella had seen that other night by the lake, then… had _Marie_ been here too?

"Edward…" She whispered, lifting her hand to touch his face but once again, he was looking past her. Bella turned her head.

_Edward_ was standing a few feet away, gazing at them.

Bella squeezed Edward's hand reassuringly before standing, her heart in her mouth. _Edward_ watched her rise with a heart-breaking expression. He was wearing dark trousers and white shirt, his hair and skin soaked through, as it were he that had fallen into the lake. There were thick bruises on her neck and Bella's eyes dropped to his stomach, where blood was soaking through the white shirt.

He gazed at Bella, his face open and sad and adoring all at once. Bella realised what he had just seen. He had seen his own murder but this time, Marie had been there to help him.

"_You are here. You came back. I told you to run, what if he'd found you?"_ He whispered and Bella shook her head. He didn't seem to notice Edward and Bella moved closer to the ghost, sensing that now was the time for answers.

"I'm here," She murmured, "and I saw. I saw what _Aro_ did to you."

"_I couldn't save us._" His dark eyes closed in pain, "_I tried. I wished for nothing more than to be with you always_."

"I know." Bella sobbed, unable to stop the tears from welling in her eyes as _Edward_ came apart before her. The strong, desperate man disintegrated into anguished cries, blood dripping from his stomach.

She moved towards him and wrapped her arms around the sobbing man. He seemed to hesitate before returning the embrace, tangling his hand in her hair as he kissed her forehead.

"_We must never be parted_." He breathed.

"We won't be." Bella promised, "She… I waited for you. My whole life, I've waited for you."

"_I failed you. You and our child._"

"No, _Edward_." Bella hushed him, placing her hands on his cheeks and keeping his gaze on her, hearing Edward's heavy breathing behind her "You did not fail us. You kept us safe. You and _Marcus _and _Didyme_ kept us safe and now… now our son lives."

With those words, _Edward's_ eyes widened and his mouth crashed into hers, passionate and painful and blinding as his grip tightened around her. Bella lifted her hands to his face, holding him, caressing him as he showed every ounce of love that he possessed for _Marie_.

Bella reached into her pocket.

She knew now. She knew what he needed.

She pulled the locket from her jeans, breaking the kiss and stepping back a little. Wordlessly, he took it, opening it in wonder before tearing his eyes back to hers, clutching the silver locket to his heart.

_Edward_ reached out for her again and Bella stepped into his embrace one last time. The hand that wasn't now holding the locket cupped her cheek and Bella closed her eyes as he pulled her to him, pressing his mouth to hers.

For _Edward_, this was what he had been waiting for. He had been waiting for _Marie_ to return to him and now she was here. Bella gave herself completely, lifting her arms around his neck, pulling him to her, wanting nothing more than to offer him comfort and love as the tears traced a path down her face.

"_Marie_…" He whispered against her mouth and then Bella stumbled as he moved away. She opened her eyes and inhaled sharply.

He was gone.

He was gone.

Bella let out a slight sob, clasping her hands to her mouth.

A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped before Edward seized her arms, holding her still. He stared down at her and Bella shook her head, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his chest.

"She was there. Didn't you see her?" Edward whispered, his voice almost blown away by the wind as she shook her head, "When he stepped back I saw her, just for a moment, beside him."

Bella closed her eyes.

A very different Edward put his arms around her, pressing his face into her hair and they stood at the sight of _Edward Cullen_'s death, knowing that, at last, it was over.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I really hope that this didn't disappoint you. The climax of the story is always a risk, if you think it didn't meet the anticipation. There are still a lot of questions to be answered in the next couple of chapters.**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=38526500 – your visuals! I also posted a picture of my dog on twitter yesterday so you can see my inspiration for 'Sam'. **

**Please leave a review – next chapter will be up on Wednesday and the final chapter on Friday.**

**Much love**

**Katie **


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

They couldn't go back to the cottage. Edward was soaked to the skin, so Bella locked Sam in the cottage and they walked to Cullen Hall, arms around each other, more for support than anything else.

Everyone was in bed, so Bella waited in the library whilst Edward changed his clothing. She sat on the low sofa, looking at the portrait of _Edward Cullen_. Tears pricked her eyes and she covered her face with her hands.

It was over. _Edward_ was gone and that thought made Bella both ecstatically happy and in equal measure, broke her heart. Were they together, _Edward_ and _Marie_? Edward had said that he'd seen _Marie_… was that what they'd needed? To see each other again on that night, to change the route they'd taken before? Perhaps Bella would never know.

Warm hands wrapped around hers, pulling them gently from her face as Edward sat down next to her, wearing clean jeans and a long sleeved flannel shirt. They looked at each other for a long time and it was without the tension of the haunting and the anger of uncertainty, Edward and Bella were left with a new set of emotions that she didn't know how to approach or understand. So she ducked her head and cried.

Edward drew her into his embrace as she wept, hushing her like a child. Before long they were lying together on the sofa, both looking up at the painting.

"If _Aro_ hadn't killed him…" Bella whispered and Edward tightened his arms around her as she lay with her head resting on his chest.

"I think he would have gone after them. He would have gone after _Marie_." He said, certain now in her belief. What he'd seen… how could he ever have thought differently?

"I think so too." Bella murmured, closing her eyes. It was almost midnight and she was exhausted.

She could hear Edward's heart beating solidly. The sound made her feel strange, so used to being held by a dead man. It made her own heart pick up its beat a little and she curled her fingers under the buttons of Edward's shirt so that she could feel her bare fingers against the skin over that rhythmic pounding.

"How could _Aro_ have done that? How could he have loved this house more than his own family?" Edward wondered out loud, running his hand up and down Bella's spine. She sniffed quietly.

"Do you think he was the one that covered it up? Made it look like _Edward_ had drowned?"

"Probably…" Edward murmured as Bella reached up and traced the outline of a finger-shaped bruise on Edward's throat, "It wouldn't have been hard. Who knows how long it took them to find the body? But why didn't _Marcus_ do anything? Surely he would have wanted justice for Edward."

"And poor _Marie_… forced to leave her home, losing the man she loved, going to a different country and having to give up her child." Bella whispered hoarsely.

Edward was silent for a moment before he spoke again.

"She was there that night. _Edward_ told you to run away, she had been there just moments before _Aro_ arrived. She might have seen everything."

"She couldn't have done anything though," Bella whispered, "She had to protect her child."

Bella closed her eyes again and sought out Edward's hand. He laced his fingers through hers, holding their joined hands against his chest as sleep overcame them.

* * *

><p>Bella slept dreamlessly, for which she was grateful and was only disturbed by her slumber as the warm pillow beneath her began to stir. Frowning, she opened her eyes as Edward stretched and then paused. Bella paused too.<p>

Rosalie was standing in the doorway to the library, cool blue eyes examining them curiously. Bella sat up with a lurch and Edward followed, his hand still around Bella's waist.

"Morning, Rose." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes as Bella looked at anything but Rosalie's indeterminable expression.

"…Jasper and Alice are here." Rosalie said softly, "I'll keep them down in the kitchen so you can have a few minutes."

"Thanks." Edward stretched as she clicked the door shut behind her. Bella ran her hands through her hair, scraping it back into a ponytail – the best she could do without a hairbrush.

As they got to their feet, Edward took her hand without hesitation and led her out of the library.

They walked past a small pile of suitcases and bags at the foot of the stairs before turning into the kitchen. Bella squeezed Edward's fingers nervously and Edward paused. She reached up and touched the swiftly fading bruises on his throat. They weren't terribly noticeable but they made her heart clench. Edward smiled slightly before pushing open the kitchen door.

It was busy, people moving around, chatting, laughing, the smell of toast, bacon and coffee in the air. Perhaps Rosalie had warned them about Bella's presence, for no one made a fuss as Edward led her straight to the kitchen table where a dark haired woman and blonde man were sitting. The woman got to her feet, hugging Edward tightly.

"Alice, you're here early." He smiled down at her and Jasper stood to shake his hand.

"We wanted a few extra days with the family. And this must be Bella." She shook his hand too and Alice's as the young woman beamed at her. She considered leaving but Edward had his hand at the small of her back and was guiding her to a seat.

They sat down at the table with the rest of the family and as Bella stirred milk into her coffee, Esme smiled at her.

"You must be working too hard, sweetheart. Did Edward help you find what you needed?" She said and Bella glanced at Edward. He smiled slightly at her and Bella looked down at her cup, smiling too.

"Yes, he did… we've been looking at the Cullen family tree actually."

"Find anything interesting?" Carlisle asked, reaching for the plate of bacon. Edward and Bella exchanged another look. They had, but nothing they could prove.

"A few things… but nothing concrete." Edward said.

Jasper reached into a briefcase at his feet.

"Before I forget, here's that information you wanted, Edward. I wasn't able to find too much, but here… there's some things on _Marie Tanner_ and I found a few letters written by _Didyme Cullen_ but I haven't had a chance to look through them." He slid a large folder box across the table to them and Edward opened it quickly.

Bella's breath caught in her throat. Lying on top of everything else was a photograph. A handsome man and woman sat side by side, dressed in finery on a small settee. Beside them, in simple but smart servants garb was…

"_Marie…_" Edward murmured as Bella touched the girl's face. Her finger slid down to _Marie's _lap where, clad in a white gown and looking at the camera with a very serious expression was a young boy, maybe a year old.

"_Alistair_." Bella whispered, looking at Edward in amazement. Here was proof, real proof, that what she'd said to _Edward_ had been true.

Their son had lived.

"_Alistair_ was my great grandfather." Carlisle told them, "Those are his parents, _Marcus_ and _Didyme_."

Bella and Edward looked at each other again, but said nothing. They had no proof of _Alistair's _parentage, only what they knew.

Beneath the table, Edward reached for Bella's hand.

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Bella walked back to her cottage alone. Edward was spending time with his newly arrived sister, although he'd promised to come and find her later that day.<p>

Bella followed the edge of the lake and stopped as she came to the scene of _Edward's_ death. As she stared out over the glassy surface of the lake, she inhaled deeply, revelling in the sensation of the cool air in her lungs.

She felt on the brink of life, like a seed planted in the warm earth, uncurling and growing shoots, so close to the surface. All she needed was for something to bring her into springtime once again.

She took another deep breath and opened her eyes. Her gaze went to the bank of the lake and she noticed something. Stepping onto the damp ground, something small and silver glinted from the dirt.

It was the locket.

Bella slipped it into her pocket once again and turned back to her cottage. Sam greeted her eagerly at the door and she hugged him tightly before pouring some dry food into his bowl.

The locket weighed heavily in her pocket. It didn't belong with her, she realised. It needed to be put where it belonged.

"Fancy a walk?" She asked Sam, who wagged his tail happily.

The public footpath to the parish church was around a mile and a half. Setting off at a brisk pace, Bella found herself nearing the graveyard within twenty minutes. Sam, who had followed merrily, came to her side as she approached the gate. She looked down at him and he gazed back with adoring brown eyes.

"Stay here." She said firmly before entering the graveyard. He sat down obediently, watching curiously as she picked her way through the rows of moss-covered stones to the grander ones on the far side of the grounds.

This seemed to be the Cullen family plot. The names were so familiar and Bella bit her lip as her eyes slid towards the two that she had been looking for.

_Alistair Cullen._

_Edward Cullen._

The two graves were side by side, and alongside _Marcus_ and _Didyme_. _Marie_ was not here. She was not a known member of this family. No one knew how important she was to Cullen Hall.

Well… not no one. Not anymore.

Bella stopped beside _Edward_'_s_ gravestone, wrapping her arms around her waist. It was peaceful, not even the birds singing. A cool wind blew past, rustling the leaves in the tree. She took the delicate locket out and turned it over in her hands.

She couldn't bring _Marie_ to _Edward_, but she could do this for them. She knelt beside the grave and dug into the grass, only a little way, and put the locket into the ground before covering it back up again. She had brought one other thing with her and placed a flower against the gravestone, brushing the dirt from her fingers.

"Are you alright?" Edward's voice made her jump. She stood, turning as he moved closer, his hair a little windswept as he watched her. She nodded, still picking dirt from her hands.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just giving it back." She explained and he moved closer, standing so near that the heat of his body warmed hers.

"What does the flower mean?" He asked quietly and Bella swallowed hard.

"I wanted to give them one. It's a white chrysanthemum; it symbolises truth and loyal love. I thought that they… they _were_ loyal, right to the end and at least now _we_ know the truth, even if no one else ever will."

Edward's hand went to her shoulder. Bella turned to face him and slid her arms around his waist, his chin resting against her forehead. He sighed softly, one arm holding her against his waist, the one on her neck, stroking the hair at the base of her skull.

* * *

><p>Edward had driven and led Bella to his car. Sam followed and climbed into the backseat, settling down as they made the short journey back to the cottage. Edward parked beside Bella's truck and as he moved the gearstick back to neutral, she reached over to rest her hand over his, tracing down the slightly calloused fingers. Edward paused before meeting her eye. She looked back without speaking and he got out of the car, following her to the cottage door.<p>

Sam settled in front of the empty fireplace and Bella shut the door as Edward stood, watching her. Bella shrugged off her jacket, tossing it onto the sofa before looking at him.

Edward offered a slight smile but instead of returning it, Bella took his hand and led him towards the stairs.

He followed.

Upstairs, Bella shut the bedroom door to make sure that Sam didn't disturb them and when she turned, Edward was there, his hands lifting to cup her face. He rested his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes, feeling his breath fan across her skin.

"I am in awe of you, Isabella Swan." He murmured, brushing his lips across her forehead, "I wonder if you know…"

He kissed the bridge of her nose and Bella bit her lip, her breath catching in her throat as her heart began to pound.

"You are so brave," He kissed her jaw, close to her ear and Bella tilted her head, her pulse picking up as his hands slid down to her hips, pulling her close, "So strong…"

"Edward…" Bella opened her eyes and stood on her toes to press her lips to his chin and the sensation of his soft, warm skin pushed her over the brink and into life, into springtime, as his heart raced so hard that she could feel it beneath her palm.

_This_ was living and Bella was ready for it, desperate for it, eager to escape from chilly nights and cold ethereal hands to warm fingers and kisses and touches.

They fell to the bed, kissing and eager, shedding their clothes awkwardly, buttons and zips catching in their hurry. Bella fought a smile at Edward's pout when he got tangled in his long sleeved shirt and he bit her shoulder in amusement as she struggled with the button of his jeans.

He kissed the sting out of the bite, leaning over her and she slid her arms around his neck, pulling his face to hers.

"Bella…" his whisper was soft but it was _her_ name, no one else's and this man knew who she was and what she was capable of being.

He was so gentle, so human as his hands stroked her to readiness, a little clumsy at times, but they both were, both out of practise. She bit her lip, holding his gaze as he entered her and he kissed away her gasp.

This was what she wanted, Edward Cullen who read the newspaper in bare feet and wire rimmed glasses, who ate her food, who was adored by Sam and whose heart she could feel beating hard, whose breath was heavy against her neck as they moved together, gasping and breathing hard. The pleasure built and built and Bella whimpered, twisting her fingers in his hair and he smiled, kissing her mouth again and again as they came together and it was her name that he said. They tumbled and fell and grasped as the sensations overwhelmed them and not once did they relinquish their hold on each other.

They lay, panting but otherwise silent. The room was a little cold and Edward pulled the blankets over their bodies, pulling Bella's leg over his so that she lay against him and she could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

She closed her eyes for a few moments, relishing in the life that coursed through her veins, full of energy and vitality. There were no dead people here, not now. Only life and warmth where before had been ghosts and ice.

"Why did you come to the graveyard?" Bella asked softly, brushing her mouth over the warm skin of his chest and Edward let out a low breath, his hand sliding over her back.

"Because I knew that's where you'd be. Because I wanted to say my goodbyes as well." His tone was slightly questioning, as though he himself weren't sure.

"It's over now." Bella mused and Edward nodded, pulling her tightly against him.

"Over. Beginning. Both."

Bella smiled and closed her eyes again.

Over.

Beginning.

Both.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: And that's pretty much as close to a lemon as you'll get out of me! I'm not a smut writer at all and besides, I don't think that it would have fitted in this story anyway. **

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**Last chapter will go up on Friday.**

**Much love**

**Katie**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

_The End_

Bella read and reread those last two words, her mind struck by how light she felt. Her hands rested against the wooden table and she tapped her fingers uncertainly.

The End.

It was finally done. She looked down at Sam, who had wandered into the kitchen and sniffed hopefully at the plate on the table's edge.

"Finished, Sam." She whispered.

She had finished _Edward_ and _Marie'_s story.

Bella rubbed her chin, a habit that she had unconsciously picked up from Edward and pushed herself away from the table, opening the back door for Sam to go out. She leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed against her chest as she heard a car passing on the other side of the house. The sound made her heart leap - Emmett and Rosalie were back.

"Come on, Sam." She called, seizing her keys. Sam jumped to heel and they started walking towards Cullen Hall.

Today was June 20th and Rosalie was bringing her baby home.

Over a year had passed since the night by the lake and despite their fears, after just a few months, Emmett and Rosalie had found themselves expecting a child. The short visit of the Cullen family turned into an indefinite stay. Alice had transferred her job from New York to London and now the family were never more than a few hours apart.

Bella had remained living in the cottage, churned out a pathetic ending for her story to make Angela happy (which it did, and sold ridiculously well) before starting to write the true history of the Cullen family. She had sat and typed for months, writing the real account of _Marie Tanner_ and _Edward Cullen_, the involvement of _Marcus_ and _Didyme_ and the truth of _Aro_'s bitterness and insanity.

In the box that Jasper had brought them, Edward and Bella had found letters from _Didyme_ to her sister, _Chelsea_, to whom she had been devoted. What they had found had surprised them and confirmed what they had suspected, as well as providing new information.

…_by now you will have heard of Edward's death and you must not believe the rumours. You did not meet my beloved's brother, but he was a fine man, almost as fine as Marcus himself…_

…_the night of the twentieth of June, Marcus and I had retired in preparation of journey to London the next morning. You recall that we were due to marry just a few short days later and that we had business to attend to in the city. I was woken shortly before midnight by a frantic knocking at my door. When I answered it, I found one of the servants, Marie Tanner, there in a fearful state…_

… _What she witnessed, my dear sister, stills my heart just to think of it. I had never had a high opinion of Aro, but the cruelty of him… it chills me…_

… _Edward had told her to run, he had heard footsteps and surely he must have sensed the danger. They were close to the woods and she was able to hide amongst the trees…_

…_Marcus was fearful for both of our safety. He was torn, Chelsea, between his love of Cullen Hall and his love for myself and the woman who now carried the child of his most loved brother. It warmed me to watch him with Marie, to listen to her story with such trust…_

…_We had no choice. We left before dawn, Marie with us, and we have not returned to Cullen Hall. Perhaps we never shall. I have convinced Marie that in order to provide for her child, she must go through with this pretence which only the three of us and you shall know of. Her child is a Cullen by blood and I shall love it as my own. Without question, I love Marie as though she was our sister and I know that you would feel the same… _

The letters had left Bella in tears, huddled against Edward as they read them together and left her determined to set the truth out.

This was a story that would never be published. Bella would never expose any part of the family history like that. Rosalie had remained guarded with her for some time after she had found her asleep in the library with Edward, but Bella was glad that over the year, she had found herself accepted into the Cullen family. It was strange, to feel so valued, part of a group instead of on the outside, reading the stories written by other people's lives.

No, the story of _Edward_ and _Marie_ would be printed, tucked into a folder and left alone. Perhaps Carlisle would express an interest, now they had the proof of what happened but Bella felt strange about the idea. It seemed to be enough that she and Edward knew but this story was written now. In the future, perhaps, another would find it and the truth would come out, but for now… Bella was ready to put them to rest.

Sam wandered off as Bella reached the kitchen door and she waved across the garden to Jacob, who was trimming the plants back. He grinned, rubbing Sam's head as he nodded to her. They had tea together regularly, but Jacob had never mentioned what they had talked about the night after Bella had run from _Edward_ in the maze.

She let herself in through the kitchen door. Jasper was at the stove, a teapot and cups set on a nearby tray. He winked at her.

"They're in the sitting room."

"Thanks." She smiled, going through to the entrance hall and turning down the corridor, where voices were floating towards her.

Bella stopped in the door, watching the family scene before her. Rosalie was sat on the loveseat, cradling a bundle in her arms. She was smiling down at her baby as though it were the first that she'd ever seen. Emmett was kneeling with his arms folded on the arm of the loveseat, his chin nestled on his forearm as his eyes went between his wife's face and his baby. Carlisle and Esme were standing with their arms wrapped around each other, watching the happy couple with identical expressions of joy. Alice and Edward were sat on armchairs, whispering across to each other.

Jasper appeared at Bella's elbow and they entered the room together. As Jasper set the tray down, Bella sat on the arm of Edward's chair. His hand went to hers and they exchanged a smile.

"She's so quiet." Alice whispered and Rosalie smiled.

"She wasn't first thing this morning. I don't think she liked the hospital very much."

"How are you feeling?" Bella asked and Rosalie gave a gentle shrug.

"It aches, but… it's hard to notice." Her eyes went to the baby again, her expression that of a desert wanderer who had found an oasis – she drank in the sight of her.

Rosalie had had a caesarean delivery. The health risks after her first miscarriage had forced her to make the difficult decision and she fought to deliver her baby naturally, argued with Carlisle, Emmett, all of her doctors. In the end, it had been Bella to convince her. Rosalie had been so angry but their shared pain over the loss of children had tearfully convinced her that the baby's safe arrival into the world outweighed any other issue. Not a professional opinion, but one that they shared nonetheless.

After a cup of tea and the baby was passed around for adoration, Edward nudged Bella.

"You've finished?"

"How did you know?" She murmured and he smiled.

"You look calm. First time in months." His fingers traced her arm as she remembered how he'd woken up in the middle of the night the previous week to find her sat cross-legged in front of the dying fire in the cottage sitting room, laptop in front of her as she feverishly typed.

Rather than scold her or try to coax her back to bed, he'd sat with his back against the sofa, pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist, reading over her shoulder as she continued her work. They'd fallen asleep there, waking to find Sam curled up beside them.

Bella smiled to herself and Edward stood, slipping his hand into hers as the baby started fussing.

"Let's take her outside." Emmett said, kissing Rosalie's temple, "Show her the main lawn."

They walked together to the front door and found Sam snoozing on the lawn, watching Jacob trim the hedge maze. He stretched lazily before deciding it was time to go home and wandering back towards the cottage. Edward chuckled, his hands on Bella's waist and he kissed her cheek.

"I think he's bored." He murmured.

"I'll walk down at let him in."

"I'll be down in a moment." He promised, kissing her mouth this time before stepping away to be with his family.

Bella followed Sam, who had stopped halfway across the lawn and given her a flat look which picked up when he saw her coming. Bella smiled and then paused by the edge of the lawn, looking back towards Cullen Hall.

She saw Edward cradling the baby in his arms, bouncing her very lightly as Rosalie and Emmett stood together. His face was turned downwards to the newcomer to the family and even from this distance she could see the smile that he was giving the tiny being in his arms.

Sam's cold nose brushed against Bella's hand and she smiled down at him. Her heart swelled with love as she looked back at Cullen Hall.

She thought of another woman and another baby that had been here.

She looked at the man she loved, holding a different baby.

Bella put her hand to stomach and smiled, knowing two things for certain.

The first was that Edward would be happy about this news.

The second was that _this_ child would be accepted by the whole Cullen family.

And with that thought, with Sam at her heels, she walked back to the cottage to wait for her Edward.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I could cry. Actual full blown tears. I have **_**loved**_** writing this story and I hate that it's over. I cannot thank you all enough for sticking with this story, reviewing, favouriting and pimping. You are phenomenal.**

**www(dot)polyvore(dot)com/cgi/set?id=38776724 – your visuals. **

**I don't what else to say apart from – thank you again, I love you all and thank you for the last time.**

**Much love**

**Katie**


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